The Supreme Court of Belarus today begins hearing the criminal case against Aliaksandr Buhlai, who died in 1990 and is accused of genocide of the Belarusian people during World War II.
The Prosecutor General’s Office previously said that the preliminary investigation had established 29 episodes of his criminal activity, including the intentional killing of at least 174 people. The victims included 27 children and people known to be elderly. Buhlai is also accused of taking part in the destruction of villages in the Homiel, Mahiliou and Minsk regions. The criminal case comprises 68 volumes. Fifteen witnesses were questioned as part of the investigation.
This is the eighth criminal case referred to court after being separated from the main case on the genocide of the Belarusian people during World War II. Verdicts have previously been handed down against the deceased Uladzimir Katriuk, Kanstantsin Smouski, Syamon Serafimovich, Osip Vinnitski, Aliaksandr Yarmolchyk, Hans Siegling and Antanas Geciavicius.