A court in Minsk sentenced the leaders of the Belarusian musical fantasy-folk group Irdorath Vladimir and Nadezhda Kalach, who took part in protests in Belarus in 2020, to two years in prison. This was reported by the Belarusian human rights center Viasna.
The musicians were charged under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order) and under Part 2 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (training or other preparation of persons to participate in such actions, as well as financing or other material support of such activities. According to the investigation, the musicians participated in the protest action on August 16, September 6 and October 25, 2020.
On August 2, Vladimir and Nadezhda Kalach, as well as 14 other people, were detained. Six people were accused of organizing and participating in actions that grossly violate public order, the rest were accused of disobeying the police during their arrest.
Belarusian court sentenced Sergei Tikhanovsky to 18 years in prison
On December 14, Belarusian opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky was sentenced to 18 years in prison in a strict regime colony. He was accused of organizing mass riots (part 1 of article 293 of the Criminal Code of Belarus), inciting social hostility (part 3 of article 130), obstructing the work of the CEC (part 2 of article 191) and organizing actions that grossly violate public order ( Part 1 of Art. 342). In addition, his comrades-in-arms – Artyom Sakov (operator of his YouTube channel), Dmitry Popov, Igor Losik, Vladimir Tsyganovich and Nikolai Statkevich – were sentenced to terms from 14 to 16 years.
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