Posted 28 июня 2021,, 17:46

Published 28 июня 2021,, 17:46

Modified 24 декабря 2022,, 22:37

Updated 24 декабря 2022,, 22:37

Ex-presidential candidate of Belarus Babariko pleaded not guilty in court

Ex-presidential candidate of Belarus Babariko pleaded not guilty in court

28 июня 2021, 17:46
Фото: Валерий Шарифулин / ТАСС
Former presidential candidate of Belarus Viktor Babariko made his final speech in court. He did not plead guilty to the crimes incriminated to him, stating that he did not commit them.

Speaking in court, Babariko noted that the confession of crimes that he did not commit "would be more correct from the point of view of material benefits." However, he stressed that he did not intend to engage in self-incrimination, since he could not confess to crimes that he did not commit.

“I am not ashamed in front of my friends and family. As part of our communication with colleagues, not a single not only illegal action or coercion was allowed, but even no hint of the possibility of committing illegal actions was allowed", - Novaya Gazeta quoted Babariko as saying.

Babariko has repeatedly stated that his criminal case is “politically motivated”. While in jail, he announced the creation of an opposition party designed to fight the Lukashenka regime. According to RIA Novosti, the verdict of the politician will be announced on July 6.

Former head of Belgazprombank Viktor Babariko became a defendant in two criminal cases at once immediately after he publicly announced his readiness to run for the presidency of Belarus in 2020. The CEC refused to register him on the basis of information about the mistakes he allegedly made when filling out the documents. In June 2020, Babariko's office and home were searched, he and a number of his colleagues were arrested. Babariko was charged with taking a large bribe (part 3 of article 430 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus) and legalization of funds obtained by criminal means (part 2 of article 235 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus).

In court, for these crimes, the prosecutor demanded that Babariko be sentenced to 15 years in a maximum security colony. Babariko's deputies Sergei Shaban and Dmitry Kuzmich were asked by the state prosecution for 6.5 years in prison, Sergei Dobrolet, Alexander Ilyasyuk and Kirill Badey - 5.5 years in a maximum security penal colony. For the head of the company "Activleasing" Viktor Kabyaka, the prosecutor requested 3 years of imprisonment, and for the deputy of Babariko Oleksiy Zadoiko - 3 years of imprisonment.

The news of the detention of Babariko, as well as the searches that took place in the credit institution, provoked a massive outflow of funds from the accounts of Belgazprombank, which is 99.6% owned by Gazprom and Gazprombank. The security forces blocked the head office of Belgazprombank on June 11, 2020 - a month after the head of the bank, Viktor Babariko, announced his readiness to nominate himself in the presidential elections in Belarus.

At the same time, searches took place in the offices of PrivatLeasing, Campari and Centaur. High-ranking representatives of these companies were charged under Part 2 of Art. 243 "Evasion of taxes and fees on an especially large scale" and under Part 2 of Art. 335 "Legalization of funds obtained by criminal means on an especially large scale." In total, 15 people were detained within the framework of the Belgazprombank case.

The very next day, President of the country Alexander Lukashenko announced that his potential rival in the elections Viktor Babariko was allegedly involved in the criminal activities of top managers of Belgazprombank.

During the investigative actions, the security forces seized large amounts of money from the bank. Among the seized were over 4 million dollars, gold and securities worth half a million dollars, as well as a collection of paintings. Investigators added about 150 paintings worth about $ 20 million to the Belgazprombank case, which the suspects were supposedly going to export from Belarus.

Viktor Babariko called what is happening in the bank "a political order" and "raider seizure by the state"

Then the searches continued at Babariko's campaign headquarters. And then the lawyer Babariko selected license. While in the KGB detention center of Belarus, Babariko announced the creation of a new opposition political party "Together".

Similar methods of dealing with political opponents are taking place in Nicaragua: the fifth presidential candidate was detained there in a month.

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