German mercenary Rico Krieger sentenced in Belarus
In Belarus, a mercenary from Germany who took part in military operations on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was sentenced to death.
The German Foreign Ministry noted that Berlin is in close contact with Minsk regarding the fate of the German citizen. However, the department did not name him.
German citizen accused of terrorism and mercenarism
As specified Reutersthe person sentenced to death was 30-year-old Rico Krieger, convicted under six articles of the Criminal Code of Belarus. It is not reported what exactly the German citizen is accused of. However, as stated The Belarusian human rights organization Viasna, citing its own sources, said the charges were related to terrorism and mercenary activity. Thus, Krieger was found guilty of “carrying out an explosion with the aim of influencing the authorities’ decision-making, intimidating the population, destabilizing public order (a terrorist act) committed by a person who had previously committed a terrorist act.”
In addition, human rights activists reportedthat the man served as a military doctor in the Kastus Kalinovsky Regiment, banned in Belarus, namely in its structural unit – the foreign mechanized battalion “Zapadny”. As part of this regiment, citizens of Belarus and Lithuania have been fighting on the side of the Armed Forces of Ukraine since March 2022.
On this basis, the German citizen was sentenced to death by firing squad. In addition, a statement published by Vesna stated that Krieger had been in custody since November 2023 and was sentenced on June 24. This confirmed at the German Foreign Ministry.
The death penalty is a cruel and inhuman form of punishment that Germany rejects under any circumstances.
Meanwhile, Minsk did not comment on this information.
Rick Krieger’s case was heard by Judge Oleg Lapek. The state prosecution was supported by the representative of the Prosecutor General’s Office Tatyana Grakun, added in a human rights organization.
Earlier, journalist Evan Gershkovich was sentenced in Russia
On July 19, a Russian court sentenced American Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich to 16 years in prison in a maximum security penal colony. The 32-year-old foreigner was detained in Yekaterinburg last March. He was charged with espionage.
According to the investigation, the man, on assignment from the US Central Intelligence Agency, came to the Urals to collect secret information about the activities of Uralvagonzavod. In particular, the journalist was allegedly interested in the production and repair of military equipment.
The prosecutor requested 18 years of imprisonment for the American journalist. Meanwhile, Gershkovich himself did not admit his guilt.
#German #mercenary #sentenced #death #Belarus #accused #reaction #Berlin #Minsk