19 protesters sentenced in Brest

November 10, Minsk. In Brest, 19 residents of the regional center and region were sentenced, who were charged with active participation in mass riots, and two of them were also charged with large-scale theft by a group of people, BelTA informs with reference to the information service of the Brest region prosecutor's office.

The state prosecution in court was supported by the prosecutor's office of Brest. According to the materials of the case, the defendants - men aged 18 to 37 - participated in illegal protests in the center of Brest on August 10 and 11, 2020, accompanied by pogroms and destruction of other people's property. Then they used violence against the employees of the internal affairs bodies, hitting them with their hands, feet and various objects. In addition, the defendants damaged the property of individuals and legal entities.

For illegal activities, the defendants used sticks, trash cans, fragments of benches, paving slabs and asphalt, bottles, metal bolts, paint containers, pyrotechnic products.

The total amount of damage caused exceeded Br27 thousand.

In addition, from December 11 to 21, 2020, two defendants stole electric-welded pipes worth over Br10 thousand from ElitKrovlyaStroy LLC. To do this, they used a car that belonged to one of the accused and a trailer received for temporary use.

Among the accused were a foreign citizen, as well as a previously convicted person. One of the accused was under the influence of alcohol . All did not recognize the fact that they had committed unlawful acts in the course of participating in mass riots.

Taking into account the evidence presented by the state prosecutor, the court of the Leninsky district of Brest delivered a guilty verdict: 17 defendants were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 3 years 6 months to 5 years 6 months to be served in a high-security colony.

The two defendants, who at the time of the commission of the crimes were underage, were sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 3 years 6 months and 4 years 6 months in a penal colony.

The defendants, who were also found guilty of the theft, were sentenced to 5 and 5.5 years in prison. Both will have to pay a fine of 100 BV (Br2.9 thousand), as well as joint and several property damage in favor of ElitKrovlyaStroy LLC. A special confiscation was applied to the car as a means of committing a crime.

The court also satisfied the prosecutor's claim to recover from the defendants the amount of damage caused during the riots.

The verdict has not entered into force, can be appealed and protested on appeal.