Belarus Introduces Prison Sentences for Taking Part in Protests

Belarus Introduces Prison Sentences for Taking Part in Protests
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko delivers a speech in Minsk, Belarus, on May 26, 2021. Press Service of the President of the Republic of Belarus/Handout via Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Tuesday signed into law prison sentences for people taking part in protests or insulting state officials, part of an unprecedented crackdown by the veteran leader since a disputed election last year.

In a series of amendments to the criminal code, Lukashenko also for the first time introduced a four-year prison sentence for people found guilty of spreading false information that discredits the state.