MINSK – Russia will extradite a participant in last year’s protests in Brest to Belarus, the Belarusian human rights center Viasna said on Sept. 9.
“A court in Belgorod processed a motion for Russia’s extradition of Brest native Vadim Duboisky today. He is charged with participating in mass unrest in Belarus,” Viasna said.
“The court ruled in favor of Vadim’s extradition to Belarus. Russian human rights activists will be preparing Vadim’s case for the ECHR (European Court of Human Rights),” it said.
Duboisky has been charged with participation in mass unrest under Article 293 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, and faces up to eight years in jail.
Belarus saw more than six months of continuous protests against the official results of the presidential election that took place on Aug. 9, 2020. The authorities declared incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko the winner. Lukashenko has been in office since 1994. The opposition does not recognize the results of the presidential election, saying the election was rigged. Several opposition leaders were arrested. The protesters demanded Lukashenko’s resignation, the release of political prisoners, and a new election. The protests, which were fiercely dispersed by Belarusian security services, have virtually subsided, becoming rare and limited of late.
