Updated at 17:53,27-03-2024

Japanese man gets jail sentence for bringing firearm parts into Belarus

Belsat.eu

Japanese man gets jail sentence for bringing firearm parts into Belarus
A citizen of Japan has been sentenced to a prison term for illegal carrying firearm parts across the Belarusian border.

The man, 27, flew to Minsk National Airport from Ukraine, minsknews.by reports with reference to Minsk Transport Prosecutor’s Office. More than 10 parts of Mosin rifles were found in his luggage. According to the expert, the items are suitable for use as parts of rifled firearms.

The foreigner was sentenced to 4.5 years of in a medium security penal colony. The sentence has come into force.

Tthe young man admitted his guilt. He said that when visiting Ukraine, he was at a shop where military antiques were sold. The seller assured him that the exposed parts of arms were just models which were not suitable for use.

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In September, blogger Alexander Lapshin, whom Belarus extradited to Baku, told his readers about his stay in Minsk prison Nr 1. According to him, there were foreigners among prisoners.

“…The Japanese was deeply upset. He is well-known cartoonist in Japan, his name is Daichi Yoshida, and he wound up behind bars for nothing. He flew from Europe with a transfer in Minsk, and Belarusian customs officers found a souvenir pistol in his luggage. Although he said the pistol was fake, the poor man was detained, the gun was sent for examination. By that moment, it had been lasting for six months!” Lapshin said.


Perhaps, it is the case of one and the same person.

Earlier, Homiel region court heard a criminal case of another foreigner – French citizen Jolan Viaud, who was сharged with smuggling firearms and trafficking of prohibited substances. The prosecutor accused Jolan Viaud of intentionally carrying a live cartridge, which he had imported from Lithuania. He was also accused of the fact that the cartridge was found by customs officers in the personal inspection room when Jolan was leaving Belarus. Mr Viaud said that he specifically walked into the ‘red corridor’ to present his belongings and the souvenir cartridge to the inspector. On November 20, Viaud was acquitted and freed in the courtroom.