The hope of the former president of Belarus was imprisoned for 14 years in Europe News

Viktor Babari, the former head of a Russian-owned bank, intended to challenge Lukashenko in last year’s disputed elections.

A former Belarusian presidential candidate has been sentenced to 14 years in prison on corruption charges in a case deemed politically motivated.

Viktor Babari, a former chief executive of a Russian-owned bank, intended to challenge authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in last year’s disputed elections.

But he was arrested two months before the Babari 2020 vote.

One of Lukashenko’s strongest opponents was sentenced on Tuesday by the Minsk Supreme Court.

He said the Twitter account, which is run by followers, will spend 14 years “in a colony of the highest security.”

His arrest drew thousands of protesters to the streets.

He remains in prison since Babari was arrested and politically motivated to reject allegations of corruption against him.

On Tuesday, Belgazprombank was found guilty of bribery and money laundering when Gazprom was the head of a Belarusian branch of a Russian energy giant.

In addition to extending his prison sentence, he was also ordered to pay damages, a fine, and banned from holding high office.

He may not appeal the judgment of the Supreme Court.

Lukashenko’s resumption of the sixth legislature last year sparked mass protests over the months, with the largest gathering 200,000 people.

The opposition refused to acknowledge the election results, saying the vote was manipulated.

Authorities responded to the protests with horrific repression, with opposition and rights groups claiming that more than 35,000 people had been arrested and thousands beaten by police.

Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.

Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called the verdict “crazy” and said it was aimed at silencing Babari.

“To believe in an idea for 14 years,” Tsikhanouskaya wrote after claiming to have won the vote against Lukashenko in the Telegram messaging app. “The regime is doing everything it can to kill us with ideas that are similar to hope.”

The U.S. embassy in Minsk called the sentence “false” and said it had shown that “nothing will stop the Lukashenko regime from maintaining power.”

Western diplomats were present at the session, and two people were arrested outside the courthouse after arriving at the “dozens” pro-Babari building, but were not allowed inside the courthouse, Viasna, an independent local rights group, reported.

The prosecutor sought a 15-year sentence, the maximum possible sentence. Babariko denied any wrongdoing throughout the trial.