Five Kalinouski Regiment Members Sentenced In Absentia to 12 and 20 Years
The Minsk City Court on September 14 sentenced five Belarusians in absentia. Yury Makitau was sentenced to 20 years in a penal colony, Kristina Stankevich, Mikhail Chuprynsky, Nikolai Boyko, and former political prisoner Natalia Nikitina — to 12 years.
They were charged under a number of articles of the Criminal Code: Part 2, Article 285 (participation in a criminal organization), Part 2, Article 290-5 (participation in a terrorist organization), Part 1, Article 357 (conspiracy or other actions committed with the aim of seizing power), Part 3, Article 361-1 (participation in an extremist formation), Parts 1 and 2, Article 361-3 (participation in an armed formation or armed conflict, military actions on the territory of a foreign state, recruitment or training of persons for such participation), Parts 1 and 2, Article 361-4 (facilitation of extremist activity), and Article 361-5 (undergoing training or other preparation for participation in extremist activity), reports Viasna.
In May 2026, the Investigative Committee initiated special proceedings against five individuals — a procedure that allows for the investigation and consideration of a criminal case without the physical presence of the accused in Belarus. In June, the investigation was completed, and the case was transferred to the Prosecutor General for referral to court. On August 20, the in absentia trial began at the Minsk City Court.
The court linked all five to the Kastuś Kalinoŭski Regiment. They are outside Belarus, which is why the trial was conducted under special proceedings. This procedure is applied to individuals who are outside the country and do not respond to summonses from the investigation or the court.