The Trial of Tsikhanouski, Statkevich, Losik, and Three Other Political Prisoners Begins in Homel

Frightened authorities closed the trial.

Today, the Homel Regional Court will begin to consider the criminal case of political prisoners Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Mikalai Statkevich, Ihar Losik, Uladzimir Tsyhanovich, Dmitry Popov, and Artsiom Sakau behind closed doors. "Hearings" will be held in Homel remand prison No. 3, naviny.online reports.

Lawyers for Tsikhanouski, Statkevich, Losik, Tsyhanovich, Popov, and Sakau are under a nondisclosure agreement.

Siarhei Tsikhanouski is a people's blogger, creator of the Country for Life project, who intended to run for president in last year's elections. He was detained as a result of a police provocation on May 29, 2020, in Hrodna at a picket to collect signatures in support of the nomination of his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as a presidential candidate.

A well-known opposition politician, one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition Mikalai Statkevich was detained on May 31, 2020, in Minsk. At first, he was sentenced under an administrative article for 15 days of arrest, then - for another 15 days, but, as a result, a criminal case was opened.

Blogger Ihar Losik, the founder of the popular telegram channel Belarus Golovnogo Mozga, a consultant for Radio Svaboda, was detained at his home in Baranavichy (Brest region) on June 25, 2020.

Artsiom Sakau - Siarhei Tsikhanouski's cameraman - was detained on June 2 last year at his relatives in Hrodna.

Russian citizen Dmitry Popov moderated the social networks of the Country for Life project. He was detained in the Mozyr district (Homel region) on June 4, 2020.

Blogger Uladzimir Tsyhanovich - the creator of the youtube-channel "MozgON" - was detained on June 9 last year in Minsk.