Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

Lyabedzka released on his own recognizance

BelaPAN

Anatol Lyabedzka, leader of the United Civic Party, was released from the detention center of the Committee for State Security (KGB) on his own recognizance late on April 6, KGB spokesman Alyaksandr Antanovich told BelaPAN.

The prominent opposition politician could not be reached for comment on Thursday morning.

Mr. Lyabedzka, 49, who was candidate Yaraslaw Ramanchuk's campaign aide in last year's presidential election, was among the hundreds of people arrested in the wake of a police crackdown on a post-election protest in Minsk on December 19, 2010. Along with former presidential candidates and other prominent opposition figures, he was subsequently charged with organizing "mass disorder" under Part One of the Criminal Code's Article 293, an offense that carries a prison sentence of between five and 15 years. Mr. Lyabedzka was on hunger strike between December 20 and 29.

He did not see his defense lawyer between December 29 and March 23.

Earlier former presidential candidates Vital Rymashewski and Ales Mikhalevich, as well as journalist Natallya Radzina and opposition activists Andrey Dzmitryyew and Syarhey Vaznyak were released from the KGB jail on their own recognizance. Two more people charged in the case, ex-candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyayew and journalist Iryna Khalip, were released from the detention center and placed under house arrest.