World News | Activist running for Belarus president pleads guilty

TALLINN, April 5 (AP) – An opposition politician who is running against authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in the disputed 2020 presidential election pleaded guilty Wednesday to public order charges at the start of his trial.

Andrey Dzmitryeu, 41, was detained on January 11 and charged with “organizing and preparing a serious breach of public order”. The activist who leads the “Speak the Truth” movement faces up to four years in prison.

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According to the Viasna Human Rights Center, Dzmitryeu admitted to attending opposition rallies three times and blocking streets in the Belarusian capital Minsk.

Dzmitryeu was held in a cage-like enclosure during a hearing at the Moscow court in Minsk, looking visibly exhausted and emaciated.

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Following his arrest, Dzmitryeu was held at the notorious Okrestsina detention center, where human rights activists say political prisoners have been tortured.

After Lukashenko’s disputed re-election in August 2020, Belarus has been shaken by massive anti-government protests that the opposition and the West have accused of being rigged.

Belarusian authorities have launched a massive crackdown on the demonstrations, arresting more than 35,000 people, beating thousands by police and shutting down dozens of media outlets and NGOs.

In the competition with Lukashenko, Zmitliu finished fourth with 1.2 percent of the vote, according to official results.

During the campaign, Dzmitryu expressed support for Sergei Tikhanovsky, Vikta Barbarika and Valery Tepkalo, who were barred from running in the election. (Associated Press)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)