MINSK, May 3. /TASS/. The Minsk Regional Court sentenced Stepan Putilo, the founder of the Nexta organization recognized as terrorist in Belarus, to 20 years in jail in absentia on Wednesday, a TASS correspondent reported from the courtroom.

"Due to a combination of crimes, by partially adding up the main penalties and figuring in additional penalties, [I hereby decree] to impose final punishment on Putilo in the form of 20 years of incarceration," judge Vyacheslav Tuleyko announced.

Ian Rudik and Roman Protasevich, involved in this case, have been sentenced to 19 and eight years behind bars, respectively.

Rudik, who is abroad, was sentenced in absentia. The court decreed that all those convicted should serve their time in a medium-security correctional facility. Protasevich will remain under house arrest until the verdict comes into effect.

"The court has recognized the right to satisfy a civil suit by [Belarus’] prosecutor-general on the compensation of damages incurred by the crimes [committed by Putilo, Protasevich and Rudik] in the amount of over 30 mln [Belarusian] rubles (more than $10 mln - TASS) and the issue of the amount will be settled via civil legal proceedings," prosecutor Natalya Sokolova said.

Nexta case

The Minsk Regional Court started hearing the case of Putilo, Protasevich and Rudik in mid-February. The defendants were charged with organizing mass riots, inciting social hatred, creating an extremist formation and a terrorist organization, calling for the seizure of power and slandering the Belarusian president. Putilo and Rudik were also accused of plotting to seize power.

Putilo is the founder of Nexta’s channels on YouTube and social media. Protasevich and Rudik played an active part in these projects. In early April 2022, the Belarusian Supreme Court designated the Nexta extremist formation as a terrorist organization and banned its activities in the country. According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, the organization has been engaged in extremist and terrorist propaganda since mid-2020, and was also involved in the creation of groups of radically minded people for the purpose of committing unlawful acts.