Belarusian court finds three men guilty of 'plotting coup', sentences to 11 years in prison

A court in Belarus has sentenced Yuri Zenkovich, a lawyer, political scientist Alexander Feduta, and Grigory Kostusev, leader of the BPF party, to prison terms for “plotting a coup”, Sputnik Belarus reports.

Zenkovich will spend 11 years in prison while the other two will spend 10 years. Zenkovich was also accused of “creating an extremist organisation”, “calling for a coup” and “inciting hatred”, Mediazona Belarus says.

Olga Golubovich and Denis Kravchuk, two activists, were sentenced to 30 months in prison both for “disorderly behaviour.”

Alyaksandar Lukashenka, the Belarusian president, claimed in April 2021 that Zenkovich, Fedora and Kostusev had planned an attempt on his life or were plotting to kidnap his children. He also said that “probably the CIA or FBI” provided the “plotters” with support.

Zenkovich and Feduta were then detained in Moscow and escorted to Belarus. The country’s KGB filed charges against them, and the state TV channel ONT made up footage of them that looked as if they were pleading guilty.