On Monday, news from Belarus spread around the world that a Minsk court had sentenced an opposition leader, Maria Kolesnikova, and a prominent lawyer, Maxim Znak. to 11 and ten years in prison respectively.
The trial was held behind closed doors, without access for the press or observers. Even the pair’s relatives were not allowed to attend the trial – and were only allowed access when the verdict was announced.
Kolesnikova and Znak were convicted of “conspiracy to seize state power”, “creating an extremist organisation” and “actions aimed at harming national security”.
