German sentenced to death in Belarus’ first mercenarism trial

July 19, Pozirk. The Minsk Regional Court sentenced Rico Krieger, a 30-year-old German national, to death, the Viasna Human Rights Center has confirmed.
Earlier today, media reported that the sentence was issued on June 24.
According to Viasna, the case involved the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment (KKR), a Belarusian volunteer unit fighting alongside Ukrainian troops.
However, the regiment has not confirmed having any link to the defendant. It is unclear if the guilty verdict has taken effect.
The Minsk Regional Court considered Krieger’s case since June 6.
Investigators accused him of spying, terrorism, mercenarism and other serious crimes.
It could be the first mercenarism trial in Belarus, human rights activists said in early June.
The crime is punishable by imprisonment of 10 to 25 years, with or without a fine, by life imprisonment, or by the death penalty.
According to human rights activists, Krieger was born in the German capital and has a minor son.
He is said to have worked as a rescue medic for the German Red Cross and a security officer for the US Embassy in Berlin. He also worked as a paramedic.
- SocietyTrain crew quickly contains blaze at Pahodzina stationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics
- PoliticsBelarus to open consulate general in Tatarstan for six Russian regionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: admin accused of filming Russian military hardwareThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityRussian-born Butraniec appointed as deputy chairman of State Border CommitteeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLithuania, Latvia report a spike in irregular border crossing attemptsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusian steelmaker scales back output to maintain profitabilityThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsBelarus' FM accuses the West of impeding development of other countriesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- EconomyBelarus to raise subsistence minimum budget on May 1The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition politician slams prison sentences against Kalinoŭski fighters as revengeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyGovernment allows hunting bears, lynxesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityJournalists expose Belarusian company’s links with Russian defense industryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights groups declare seven new political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: jailed activist Kaleśnikava turns 43The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityMinsk court sentences five Belarusian volunteer fighters to lengthy prison termsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMore than 17,000 Belarusians visited Georgia in Q1The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityArmy battalion conducting offensive exercise near AsipovičyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsUN experts sound alarm over forced psychiatric treatment of Belarusian dissidentsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy
- PoliticsRights group reports raids in Dziaržynsk, exiled Belarusians targetedThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- PoliticsSikorski, Rubio discuss migration crisis at Polish-Belarusian borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: police punish criticism of Łukašenka’s policiesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCatholic priest free after reported April 23 arrestThe material is available only to POZIRK+