BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

14/07/2006

Belarus opposition leader gets 5 1/2 years in jail

MINSK, July 13 (Reuters) - A Belarussian court sentenced opposition leader Alexander Kozulin on Thursday to 5-1/2 years in prison for helping organise protests against the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, his wife said.

"Five and a half years. Such a sentence is utter blasphemy," Irina Kozulina told reporters after emerging from the court. "We intend to appeal. There is, of course little hope in this country. But we have to go through the proper procedures."

Lukashenko, accused in the West of rigging the vote and of crushing fundamental rights, won 83 percent of the vote in March. The proclamation of the results sparked unprecedented protests in the ex-Soviet state.

Source:

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13747615.htm