Former Belarus politician gets 17-year sentence in absentia

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian opposition leader and former ally of President Alexander Lukashenko has received a 17-year prison sentence in absentia on charges that included forming an extremist group and discrediting Belarus. Valery Tsepkalo was also fined around $14,000 and barred from holding public office for five years on Friday following a closed-door trial that resulted in his conviction. Other charges included issuing calls to seize power, slander and insulting the country’s president. Tsepkalo fled to Russia in 2020 after the Central Election Commission barred him and eight other candidates from challenging Lukashenko in a presidential election that year. He later moved to Ukraine, Latvia and Greece.