Ex-candidate for the presidency of Belarus Tsepkalo sentenced in absentia to 17 years in prison

The Minsk Regional Court sentenced in absentia the former contender for the presidency of Belarus Valery Tsepkala to 17 years in prison with a sentence to be served in a penal colony. writes BelTA.

In addition, the court decided collect a fine from Tsepkalo in the amount of 20,000 Belarusian rubles (about 649,000 Russian rubles) in favor of the Hi-Tech Park, one of the founders of which is Tsepkalo. Initially, the state prosecutor asked for 19 years in prison for Tsepkala, as well as a fine.

According to investigators, while in the position of director of administration of the High-Tech Park, Tsepkalo received a bribe in the amount of 151,715 euros for choosing a certain business entity as the general contractor for the construction of one of the facilities of the institution. As a result, the money was transferred to the account of a company controlled by Tsepkalo, which was registered in Cyprus.

According to RIA Novosti, the former presidential candidate was accused in slander against the current head of state Alexander Lukashenko, and in discrediting Belarus, as well as in calls for the imposition of sanctions and other actions that could harm the national security of the republic. Tsepkalo is also accused of creating an extremist formation and financing extremist activities.

Now Tsepkalo and his family are outside Belarus. It is specified that he left from the country in July 2020 after he was denied registration to vote. Then the CEC of Belarus explained this by a shortage of signatures. Tsepkalo tried to appeal the decision of the CEC of Belarus to the Supreme Court, but the court refused to satisfy the complaint. In February 2021, Belarus sent a request to Latvia for the extradition of Tsepkalo.

Elections for the post of president of the republic were held on August 9, 2020. As a result, Lukashenka won, gaining 80.08% of the vote. His main rival, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, received 10.09% of the vote. The opposition did not recognize the results of the vote, saying that Tikhanovskaya won the election and demanded new elections. After the elections, mass protests and clashes with the security forces began in the country, which lasted for several months. Tikhanovskaya herself then moved to Lithuania, from where she now conducts opposition activities.