Lukashenko's regime sentences two Tut.by opposition website executives to 12 years in prison

Marina Zolotova and Lyudmila Chekina, heads of the Tut.by opposition website, have been sentenced to 12 years in prison in Belarus.

Source: Belarusian state-controlled news outlet BelTa

Details: In particular, Marina Zolotova, former editor-in-chief of Tut.by, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Minsk City Court made this decision on 17 March.

Zolotova will serve her sentence in a general regime colony. At the same time, she will be given custodial time. One day in custody will equal one and a half days in prison.

The court cancelled the arrest of her property.

Lyudmila Chekina, former general director of Tut.By Media, was sentenced to a similar basic sentence of 12 years in a general regime colony.

In addition, she was deprived of the right to hold positions related to the performance of organisational, administrative and economic duties for a period of 5 years.

Zolotova was found guilty of "disseminating materials with public calls for the seizure of state power, forcible change of the constitutional order of Belarus, calls addressed to foreign states, foreign and international organisations, and actions to the detriment of the national security of Belarus".

Lukashenko’s regime also found Zolotova "guilty" of actions aimed at inciting social hatred and enmity based on other social affiliation and Chekina – of organising such actions.

In addition, Chekina was found guilty of tax evasion by intentionally understating the tax base, particularly by entering false information in tax returns (settlements), which led to damage on a particularly large scale.

The verdict has not yet taken effect and may be appealed.

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