Five Kalinouski Regiment Volunteers Sentenced in Absentia to 12 and 20 Years
Reform.news Editorial Team · 28 September 2026, 13:02
https://reform.news/en/five-kalinouski-regiment-volunteers-sentenced-in-absentia-to-12-and-20-years/The Minsk City Court on September 14 sentenced five volunteers from the Kalinouski Regiment in absentia.
According to the human rights center Viasna, Yury Makitau was sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Krystsina Stankevich, Mikhail Chuprynski, Mikalai Boika and Natallia Nikitsina each received 12 years.
Special proceedings against the five Kalinouski Regiment volunteers began in May 2026. The trial started on August 20. All the defendants are outside Belarus, so the case was heard in absentia.
They were charged under the following articles:
- Part 2 of Article 285 (“Participation in a criminal organization”),
- Part 2 of Article 290-5 (“Participation in a terrorist organization”),
- Part 1 of Article 357 (“Conspiracy or other actions committed with the aim of seizing power”),
- Part 3 of Article 361-1 (“Participation in an extremist formation”),
- Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-3 (“Participation in an armed formation or armed conflict, military operations, recruitment or training of persons for such participation on the territory of a foreign state”),
- Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4 (“Facilitating extremist activity”),
- Article 361-5 (“Training or other preparation for participation in extremist activity”).