{"id":94501,"date":"2024-07-08T21:47:06","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T18:47:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94501\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"exiled-politicians-sentenced-to-12-years-in-prison-after-trial-in-absentia","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/94501\/","title":{"rendered":"Exiled politicians sentenced to 12 years in prison after trial in absentia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (Sputnik)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

July 8, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> \u00c9migr\u00e9 opposition politicians Anatol Kota\u016d, Ja\u016dhien Vilski, Vieranika Capka\u0142a, Volha Kara\u010d and architect Vadzim D\u017amitranok have been sentenced to 12 years in prison, the Prosecutor General’s Office has said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutors accused former Presidential Administration employee Kota\u016d and the others of association with an extremist group and conspiracy to seize power over their links to the Forum of Democratic Forces of Belarus, deemed an extremist group in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kota\u016d, Vilski and D\u017amitranok were also convicted of facilitating extremism and fined 600,000 rubels (about $187,000), 480,000 rubels ($150,000) and 440,000 rubels ($137,000), respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kara\u010d and Capka\u0142a were found guilty of discrediting the state and given large fines. Capka\u0142a, the wife of former presidential hopeful Valeryj Capka\u0142a, was also convicted of slandering Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trial was held without the defendants being present. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First Forum of Democratic Forces of Belarus was held more than two years ago in Warsaw on the initiative of Valeryj Capka\u0142a, Kota\u016d, political scientist D\u017amitryj Ba\u0142kuniec and others. The Second Forum was held in mid-July 2022 in Berlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Forum participants were critical of Belarusian opposition leader \u015aviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja’s activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"