Andrei Sannikov left in prison

Belarusian presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov’s cassation appeal has been dismissed by the Minsk City Court.

Cassation appeals of Uladzimir Yaromenak, Illya Vasilevich, Fyodar Mirzayanau and Aleh Hnedchyk, involved in Andrei Sannikov’s criminal case, were dismissed too.

Judges are Syarhei Khrypach, Viktoria Zaitsava, Volha Kamarouskaya. Prosecutor is Anton Zaharouski.

Sannikov’s lawyer Maryna Kavaleuskaya said earlier that her client “applied for attending the hearing of his cassation appeal”. However, the Belarusian presidential candidate was not present in the Minsk City Court when his appeal was heard. Other people in the case did not appear in the court too.

Besides, the defence asked to attach the report on the presidential elections by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), because its evaluation of the elections contradicts the conclusions of the court of May 14. After deliberation, the judges decide to attach the OSCE/ODIHR report to the case.

On May 14, the Partyzanski district court of Minsk chaired by judge Natallya Chatvyartkova found Sannikov guilty of violating part 1 of article 293 of the Criminal Code (organizing mass disorders) and sentenced him to five years in a medium security penal colony.

Aleh Hnedchyk was sentenced to four years, Uladzimir Yaromenak, Illya Vasilevich and Fyodar Mirzayanau to three years in a medium security penal colony.

We remind that Andrei Sannikov sent a political statement from the Interior Ministry’s detention facility. He demanded to hold a second round of presidential elections under international control.

The politician said he did not renounce his title of a candidate for presidency of the Republic of Belarus.