Lukashenko allows trial in absentia of defendants who left Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko has signed amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Belarus that will allow for trials in absentia of defendants who are outside the country, the state agency Belta reported, citing Lukashenko's press service.

Such special judicial proceedings are permitted to be conducted in relation to defendants in criminal cases of terrorism, genocide, mercenarism, treason, sabotage, creation of an extremist group, mass riots, and calls for sanctions.

As Zerkalo notes , a total of 48 criminal articles will be available for trial in absentia, some of which provide for punishment up to and including the death penalty. The law is formulated in such a way that virtually any adult citizen of Belarus will be able to be tried in absentia, the publication writes.

Criminal cases have been opened against Belarusian opposition members under some of these criminal articles. In particular, six criminal cases have been opened against the leader of the country's 2020 protests, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, under articles for which a trial in absentia is now possible.

“The changes provided by the law are aimed at ensuring the inevitability of criminal liability for criminal acts committed, strengthening guarantees for the implementation of the constitutional right to judicial protection, and ensuring the legality and stability of court decisions in criminal cases,” Lukashenko’s press service said in a statement.