{"id":128536,"date":"2025-03-04T13:34:49","date_gmt":"2025-03-04T10:34:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128536\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"estonian-national-belarusian-basketball-coach-to-go-on-trial-on-march-17","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/128536\/","title":{"rendered":"Estonian national, Belarusian basketball coach to go on trial on March 17\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 4, Pozirk<\/em><\/strong>. Estonian Allan Royo and prominent Belarusian basketball coach Alaksandar Syryca will go on trial at the Minsk City Court on March 17, the electronic court schedule says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both face charges of inciting hatred, association with an extremist group, insulting and slandering Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka. Rights groups consider their persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judge An\u017eela Ka\u015bciukievi\u010d, known for passing sentences against regime critics, will preside over the proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Royo, 44, is from Tartu and has been held in a Belarusian pre-trial detention center for more than a year, reports said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His arrest coincided with an \u201cextremist\u201d group designation for Fund of Belarus Friend LTD registered in the United Kingdom. The Committee for State Security (KGB) listed Royo, Syryca and Aleh Stefanovi\u010d, another Belarusian, as members. A few weeks later, the KGB also blacklisted the Estonian Fund of Belarus friends MTU with links to Royo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The organizations declared assistance to the Belarusian victims of politically-motivated reprisals as their major goals. Both have already seized operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Syryca was arrested upon his return to Belarus from Australia in January 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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