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Svetlana Tikhanovskaya: Belarusian opposition leader sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison

2023-03-06T13:42:38.400Z


In the summer of 2020, she challenged Belarus' ruler Alexander Lukashenko. Now opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya has been found guilty in absentia – of alleged high treason.


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Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya in Vienna at the end of February: Convicted of alleged high treason

Photo: IMAGO/Martin Juen / IMAGO/SEPA.Media

The judiciary in Belarus is once again cracking down on opponents of President Alexander Lukashenko's regime.

Following the sentencing of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Byaljazki to ten years in prison last Friday, opposition leader Svetlana Tichanovskaya, who lives in exile, has now also been found guilty.

According to the state news agency Belta, Tichanovskaya was sentenced to 15 years in prison for high treason and "conspiracy to seize power".

She had been charged with treason in absentia in January.

The opposition activist has lived in exile since 2020.

Tichanovskaya claimed election victory for herself

She ran against Lukashenko in the summer of 2020 in the presidential election in the former Soviet republic.

After his alleged re-election, which was not recognized by the West, Tichanovskaya denounced election fraud and claimed victory for herself.

The authoritarian head of state violently suppressed mass protests after the election.

Thousands of people were arrested or fled abroad, including Tichanovskaya.

A court in the capital Minsk had already found the 60-year-old human rights activist Byalyatski guilty on Friday of financing protests against Lukashenko's government and smuggling money.

He has been in custody since 2021 and denies the allegations.

Supporters of Tikhanovskaya and Byalyatsky consider the trials farcical and politically motivated.

fek/AFP/Reuters

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2023-03-06

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