Supreme Court to hear Ryhor Kastusioŭ’s appeal on November 29

November 3, BPN. The Supreme Court will hear an appeal by Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) Chair Ryhor Kastusioŭ, sentenced to 10 years in prison in a high-profile coup d’état case, on November 29, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported.

Two months ago, a Minsk court found Kastusioŭ, 65, guilty of conspiracy to seize state power in an unconstitutional way. Kastusioŭ, who is suffering from cancer, pleaded not guilty. He told the court that he had only listened to Zoom calls involving other suspects.

Human rights defenders declared him political prisoner.

Other defendants in the case were also handed down lengthy prison terms: Belarusian-born US lawyer Juryj Ziankovič, 11 years in prison; and political scientist Alaksandr Fiaduta, 10 years. Accountant Volha Hałubovič and a truck driver, Dzianis Kraŭčuk, were sentenced to two and a half years in prison.