State prosecutor Natalya Sokolova has called for the sentencing of former NEXTA editor Roman Protasevich to ten years in a penal colony. In Belarus, this Telegram channel is recognized as extremist.
Sokolova also asked for 20 years in prison for NEXTA founder Stepan Putilo and 19 years for former editor Yan Rudik. Putilo and Rudik are tried in absentia, they are abroad. Only Protasevich was present in the courtroom.
The prosecutor said the accused had committed a conspiracy to seize power. The defendants called for the creation of conditions for the seizure of power and its transfer to opposition forces, participated in the organization of demonstrations and ensured the growth of protest moods in Belarus. The prosecution estimated damage to the state from the protests at 31 million Belarusian rubles ($10.5 million).
Recall that on May 23, 2021, the Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair Boeing flying from Athens to Vilnius to land at Minsk airport. The reason is mining reports.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko then personally ordered the MiG-29 fighter to take off and ordered the “mined” plane to land. The message about the mining was not later confirmed, and Protasevich and his girlfriend, Russian Sofya Sapega, were on board. When the plane landed in Minsk, Protasevich and Sapieha were arrested.
In May last year, Sapieha was sentenced to six years in prison, she is now being extradited to Russia, where she will serve the end of her sentence.
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