The verdict in the Wektar Paprika case was delivered on Tuesday (6 July) before the Supreme Court of Belarus. This means that it is not subject to appeal to a higher body. Paprika was sentenced to 14 years in a maximum security penal colony and fined 145,000 PLN. Belarusian ruble (more than 217 thousand PLN).

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Silhouette of Swiatłana Cichanouska

Belarus. Lukashenka’s potential rival was sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony

As I mentioned BelsatWiktar Babaryka is accused of accepting a particularly high value bribe and of legalizing illegally obtained money. The alleged crimes were supposed to occur when Paprika was the head of Belgazprombank. He also accused his colleagues in the case, and was to be drawn into a criminal organization he had set up. Wiktar Paprika has not pleaded guilty to the alleged acts.

An investigative journalist was shot. Five bullets were fired at him

Human rights advocates believe that Paprika’s trial was political. Valancin Stefanovic, of the “Wayasna” Center for the Defense of Human Rights, which was closed by the authorities, stressed that the investigation and trial are being conducted in serious violation of the principles of fair justice.

The US Embassy in Minsk also commented on the ruling in the Paprika case. “With today’s harsh sentencing of Victor Babarika, the Belarusian judicial system has demonstrated a tradition of justice RealityThis system Lukashenka It will stop at nothing to stay in power,” the embassy says on Twitter.

Belarus. Paparika was not allowed to run in the elections

In the spring of last year, Wiktar Paprika announced his desire to start elections presidential day Belarus. Paprika resigned as director of Belgazprombank, and his supporters collected a record 400 thousand for an opposition politician. Authentication signatures. However, Paparika was not allowed to participate in the elections by the CEC. The former banker was then arrested and charged with accepting bribes and money laundering.

Andrei Bokzopot, a Polish-Belarus journalist who is now a political prisoner of the Belarusian regime, said at the time that Lukashenka was afraid of Paparika, who was very popular among Belarusians. Finally, the main opposition candidate in the elections was Swiatłana Cichanouska, who ran for election after the arrest of her husband – who was also ready to run –

The presidential elections took place in August 2020. The regime-controlled Central Elections Committee announced that the winner had received 80.1 percent. Votes in office since 1996. President Alexander Lukashenko. The result of the elections in Belarus is not recognized by the EU member states – they claim that the winner is left Swiatłana Cichanouska. There have been anti-government actions in Belarus for a year protestsBrutally suppressed by the Lukashenka regime.

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