Trial Over Russian National Sapega Likely To Be Held In Belarus - Minsk

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2021) The trial over Russian national Sofia Sapega is likely to be held in Belarus, after which she may be pardoned by the head of state or transferred to Russia for serving her sentence there, among other options, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said in an interview with Russian newspaper Kommersant on Sunday.

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Sapega's case with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko, during their meeting in Sochi earlier this week. Sapega was detained in Minsk on May 23 alongside her boyfriend, Roman Protasevich, who is the ex-editor-in-chief of the Nexta telegram channel, designated as extremist by the Belarusian authorities.

"Law enforcement agencies are in charge of addressing this issue and the court is to make the decision. The trial is likely to be held in Belarus," Makei said.

"I cannot predict the way the situation will further develop because there are multiple ways. The head of state may make a decision to pardon her or to transfer her for serving her sentence in Russia. We need to wait," the minister added.