BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/07/2006

Belarus Opposition Leader, Lukashenko's Rival Jailed for 5 1/2 Years

MosNews

Belarus' opposition leader who challenged President Alexander Lukashenko's bid to win a third term in office and led protests against his landslide victory was jailed for 5-1/2 years on Thursday.

Belarus' opposition leader who challenged President Alexander Lukashenko's bid to win a third term in office and helped stage protests against his landslide victory was jailed for 5-1/2 years on Thursday, the Reuters news agency reports.

Alexander Kozulin, 51, was one of two opposition candidates who ran against Lukashenko - accused in the West of rigging the election and of crushing basic rights during 12 years in power.

The former university rector, convicted of hooliganism and incitement to mass disorder, was a key figure in unprecedented protests of up to 10,000-strong after Lukashenko was declared the winner with 83 percent of the vote.

"Five and a half years. Such a sentence is utter blasphemy," the defendant's weeping wife, Irina Kozulina, said after emerging from the court and breaking the news to reporters. "We intend to appeal. There is, of course little hope in this country. But we have to go through the proper procedures."

Kozulin's 86-year-old mother collapsed outside the courtroom. Propping herself up against a fence, she wailed: "My son is innocent. Please help me free him."

Defense lawyer Igor Rynkevich, who had sought an acquittal, said the sentence was "illegal and groundless. Kozulin believes he was given 5 1/2 years to keep him out of future elections".

The sentence was handed down ahead of a weekend summit of leaders of the Group of Eight leading industrialized countries hosted in St. Petersburg by Russian President Vladimir Putin, one of only a handful of world leaders to support Lukashenko.

Alexander Milinkevich, the opposition hopeful who came a distant second in the poll, said: "By bringing down such a sentence ahead of the summit, the authorities are showing the world community that, whatever the West says, the country will do exactly as it pleases." He hoped G8 leaders would raise the issue.

"Lukashenko does not understand diplomacy. Nor does he understand the language of compromise," he said. "He only understands the language of force."

The United States and European Union, long critical of Lukashenko, denounced his re-election as rigged and barred entry to the president and other officials.

Kozulin launched stinging attacks on the president during a campaign marked by the detention of top opposition figures. He came last place in a field of four with 2 percent of the vote.

He was arrested nearly a week after the election after urging protesters to march on a prison outside the city canter where many comrades were being held. Police broke up the march and Kozulin was detained, as were 600 protesters. Most were sentenced to up to 15 days in jail.

As Thursday's verdict was about to be handed down, Kozulin was brought into the court room in handcuffs to rhythmic applause and shouts of "Freedom! Freedom!" from supporters.

"This is no court, this is a farce, a kangaroo court!" he said. Turning to the presiding judge in the Minsk district court, he cried: "You are no judge, you are a hangman!"

The judge cleared the court of spectators and reporters.

Source:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2006/07/14/kozulinjailed.shtml