MINSK – Vladimir Dudarev, an associate of former Belarusian presidential candidate Viktor Babariko and former deputy chairman of the Mogilev City Executive Committee, has been sentenced to 7.5 years in a penal colony, human rights activists said.
“Vladimir Dudarev, a political prisoner and former Mogilev [City Executive Committee] deputy head, has received 7.5 years in a high-security colony. The sentence was handed down in the Chaussky District Court on Sept. 20. Court Chair Yelena Korolko found Dudarev guilty of abuse of office (Part 3 of Article 426) and fraud (Part 4 of Article 209) of the Criminal Code,” the human rights center Viasna, unregistered in Belarus, said in a report posted on its Telegram channel on Sept. 20.
Dudarev pleaded not guilty. He coordinated the work of Babariko’s regional group in 2020. He has been in custody since June 11, 2020.
According to earlier reports, the Supreme Court sentenced Babariko to 14 years in a penal colony on July 6. He is now in a penal colony in Novopolotsk.
Babariko left the post of the head of Belgazprombank in May 2020 due to his decision to run for president of Belarus. He could not register as a presidential candidate because a criminal case was opened against him and he was arrested. Babariko’s son Eduard, who was head of his election headquarters, was also arrested.
Babariko was accused of running “an organized criminal group” composed of his deputies. According to the investigators, top managers of Belgazprombank illegally received money from representatives of these organizations in 2004-2020, pursuing the interests of some commercial structures.
All of the accused, except for Babariko, have pleaded guilty.
