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Decision on detention of Russian national Sapega to be appealed in Minsk city court

Two cases are being examined regarding Sofia Sapega now, in one of which she is a suspect

MINSK, June 14. /TASS/. The ruling of the Partizan district court of Minsk refusing to satisfy the complaint against the detention of Russian national Sofia Sapega taken into custody in Belarus, will be appealed in the Minsk city court, attorney Alexander Filanovich told reporters on Monday.

"The complaint has not been satisfied [by Partizan district court of Minsk - TASS]. The defense will appeal against this ruling of the court as it believes that there are certain questions regarding the detention and proceeding in those criminal cases on Belarus’ part," he explained, adding that the issue is about the country’s obligations under two international security conventions and the investigation into deeds in air transport.

Two cases are being examined regarding Sapega now, in one of which she is a suspect, the lawyer said. "Both she and the defense are well aware that two criminal cases in relation to her are being examined as of today," Filanovich added.

On May 23, Sapega was apprehended at Minsk International Airport together with Roman Protasevich, one of the co-founders of the Nexta Telegram channel, which Minsk deems to be an extremist entity, after an emergency landing of a Ryanair flight. In a video uploaded to the Internet several days later, Sapega admitted that she served as an editor of the Black Book of Belarus Telegram channel which doxed Belarusian police officers. In April, this Telegram channel was declared to be an extremist entity by Gomel’s Zheleznodorozhny District Court.