Five Belarusian opposition activists were sentenced on Thursday for up to four years for their part in mass protests against the December reelection of President Alexander Lukashenko.
Alexander Kirkevich and Pavel Vinogradov were ordered by a Minsk court to spend at least four years in prison, while Dmitry Drozd, Andrei Protasenya and Vladimir Khomichenko were given a minimum term of three years.
They were convicted of taking part in the December 19 unrest following a presidential election that gave Lukashenko a fourth term.
A number of high-profile activists, who campaigned for opposition candidates Vladimir Neklyayev and Andrei Sannikov, have already been given jail terms of up to four years.
Hundreds of opposition activists including 11 Russians were detained at the demonstration.
Two of the Russians, Artyom Breus and Ivan Gaponov, were released March 10 and fined $3,500 each.
In March, Human Rights Watch released a report detailing hundreds of cases of torture and inhumane treatment of jailed protesters.
MINSK, May 5 (RIA Novosti)
