In Belarus, the Homiel Regional Court sentenced three Belarusian "railway partisans" to a 21-23 year jail terms, the Viasna Human Rights Centre reported. The three men from Svietlahorsk tried to disrupt the movement of Russian military equipment by rail in Belarus in the early days of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Dzmitryi Ravich was sentenced to 22 years in a penal colony under the enhanced regime, Dzianis Dzikun to 23 years, Aleh Malchanau to 21 years.
"On 28 February 2022 (the fourth day of Russia's full-scale invasion, - Ed.), all three set fire to the signaling, centralization, and blocking relay cabinet on the Zherdz-Astankavichy railway line in the Svietlahorsk district. As a result, the traffic lights and turnouts on one of the sections of the Zhlobin – Kalinkavichi railway, which continues to Ukraine, were rendered out of service. This railway was built during World War I also to transport troops in the south-western direction," Homielskaya Viasna says.
They were detained in Svietlahorsk on 4 March and charged under several articles of the Belarusian Criminal Code: part 3 of Article 289 (act of terrorism), part 2 and 4 of Article 309 (intentional damage to vehicles or transportation avenues), part 1 of Article 356 (treason against the state), and part 3 of Article 361-1 (creating an extremist formation or participating in it).
"The trial took place behind closed doors for three months, so the political prisoners' position on the case is unknown. Judge Anatol Sotnikau pronounced the sentence," Viasna wrote.
Read also:
Belarus cyber-partizans attacked Belorus Railway computer network BelZhD to slow down the transfer of invading forces and give Ukraine more time to repel them. Sites https://t.co/5C7QZnXZYg, https://t.co/gkWFKzHDXl, https://t.co/mvN5HHUluN also do not work https://t.co/W7q8meDmLa
— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) February 27, 2022
Ukraine warns Lukashenka may join war as Belarus partisans sabotage rail connections
