06/07/2021 (Agence Europe) – The spokesperson for the European External Action Service denounced the sentencing, on Tuesday 6 July, of Viktar Babaryka, a candidate in the 2020 Belarusian presidential elections, to 14 years in prison for corruption. “This sentence is one of at least 125 unfair and arbitrary recent verdicts by Belarusian courts in politically motivated trials, often held behind closed doors and without due process of law”, he criticised. The spokesperson demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Mr Babaryka and all political prisoners, detained journalists and people who are behind bars for exercising their human rights. “The regime must halt repression and injustice and hold perpetrators to account”, he added. According to him, the EU stands ready to consider further measures against the Belarusian regime. (CG)