Andrei Sannikov has finished studying his case and is pleading not guilty

Late on Friday evening, the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov finished reading the criminal case against him.

His lawyers, Marina Kovalevskaya and Andrei Varvashevich, have informed the agency “Interfax West” of this fact.

“Andrei Olegovich has familiarised himself with the case and is pleading not guilty,” the lawyers noted. According to his barristers, A. Sannikov called the charge “an absurd essay on a given theme”.

The defence has filed a petition demanding that the criminal prosecution be stopped, and that the preventative measure be changed to a milder one. If the petitions are not granted, the defence lawyers will appeal to the Procurator.

A. Sannikov is charged with the organisation of so-called “mass disorders” in Minsk on 19 December, on the night following the presidential elections. He faces up to 15 years of imprisonment.