Franak Viachorka will be tried in absentia on May 31
The trial in absentia against Franak Viachorka, the chief adviser to the democratic leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and opposition activist, will begin on May 31 at 10:30 a.m. The trial in the Minsk City Court will be presided by judge Valiantsina Ziankevich, known for passing politically motivated sentences, in particular, in 2023 in the Tut.by case.
This follows from the schedule on the website of the Supreme Court. The Investigative Committee announced the start of special proceedings on February 16.
The 35-year-old politician was charged under nine articles of the Criminal Code: Part 3 of Article 130 (inciting other social hatred and hostility), Part 1 of Article 293 (organizing mass riots accompanied by violence against a person, pogroms, arson, destruction of property or armed resistance to government representatives), Part 1 of Article 342 (organizing and preparing actions, grossly violating public order, or active participation in them), Part 1 of Article 356 (treason to the state), Part 1 of Article 357 (conspiracy or other actions committed to seize state power), Part 3 of Article 361 (calls for restrictive measures (sanctions), other actions aimed at causing harm national security of Belarus), Parts 1 and 2 of Articles 361-1 (creation of an extremist formation or participation in it, including repeated one), Part 2 of Article 367 (slander against Lukashenka), Article 369-1 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus).
"Let them choke on their special proceedings and their articles," Viachorka commented on the launched special proceedings.
In his opinion, "justice will come anyway, and all those who are behind the fake charges, cases and sentences, torture and arrests will be held accountable."
