Supreme Court throws out rebels’ appeal against sentence

February 28, BPN. The sentence of Busły Laciać activists has come into force, the Prosecutor General’s Office reported.

The Supreme Court rejected their appeal against sentence on February 28.

On September 28, the Minsk City Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to six activists of the protest group that repeatedly claimed responsibility for acts of sabotage against the Belarusian regime.

Judge Anastasija Papko found them guilty of intentional damage to property and other crimes, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

The state accused them of damaging a Barysaŭ district judge’s car: they supposedly splashed paint on it and punctured its tires on March 4, 2021.

It also charged the Busły Laciać members with throwing a stone at a prosecutorial worker’s window, destroying a video surveillance system in Minsk and similar offenses. Law enforcers arrested them in late September and early October 2021.

Andrej Budaj received 15 years in prison and a fine; Alaksej Hamieza, 14.5 years and a fine; Alaksiej Ivanisaŭ, 14 years and a fine; Alaksandr Muraŭjoŭ, 12 years; Mikałaj Biblis, eight and a half years and a fine; and Alaksandr Sidarenka, eight years.

Human rights groups consider them political prisoners.