Belarus Democratic Opposition Leader Alexander Kazulin Sentenced To Nearly Six Years In Prison For March Protests

"A regional court in Belarus today sentenced opposition leader Alyaksandr Kazulin to 5 1/2 years in prison for his part in a week of antigovernment demonstrations earlier this year, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Belarus Service reported.

Kazulin was a candidate in Belarus's March 19 presidential election.

The prosecutor had asked for a six-year sentence.

"We will now appeal this sentence to all [higher courts], and our only hope is international support and an international court, because I'm sure that in our country we will never obtain justice," Iryna Kazulina, Kazulin's wife, told RFE/RL's Belarus Service after the sentence was announced.

Earlier today, the judge ordered Kazulin and media removed from court. Kazulin's defense attorney described the proceedings as "a farce."

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty "Belarus Opposition Leader Sentenced" July 13, 2006

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/07/
545a82d1-4c85-47e6-9cb6-3e8140212484.html











Democratic Opposition Candidate Kazulin (left) struggles with a Belarusian democracy manager at an opposition demonstration in Minsk on March 2, 2006

Photo credit: Agence France Press. With thanks.