A Polish citizen has been sentenced by a Belarus court for three years in penal colony - the Belarusian Human Rights Center "Viasna" informed on Friday (July 14). The organization added the Pole has been already transferred to a penal facility in Vitebsk Oblast.
The Belarusian Human Rights Center "Viasna" informed on Friday the sentenced man is Robert Tąpała, a 54-year-old Polish citizen. He was sentenced based on two criminal code articles: insult to Alexander Lukashenko and insult to the authorities.
According to "Viasna", the Polish man has been already transferred to the penal colony in Novopolotsk, Vitebsk Oblast.
Added to "register of extremists"
According to zerkalo.io, an independent Belarusian news portal, the charge of alleged insult to the authorities is most commonly used with regards to online comments.
Zerkalo.io also informed the Polish citizen's name has been placed in the Belarusian interior ministry's "register of extremists". The register contains 3,048 names so far.
He worked as a manager
Robert Tąpała's trial began on June 23 at a Minsk court. Zerkalo.io added the man did not appeal against the verdict.
"Viasna" also said the Pole had most likely worked as a manager at a company producing sweets.
Autorka/Autor: gf
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, zerkalo.io
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: PHkorsart/Shutterstock