Belarus sentences former presidential contender to 14 years

Mr Babariko has remained in jail since his arrest and rejected the corruption charges against him as politically driven

Viktor Babariko. Picture: Ramil Nasibulin/BelTA Pool Photo via AP

The supreme court in Belarus on Tuesday sentenced a former contender in the 2020 presidential race to 14 years in prison on corruption charges, in a case that has been widely seen as politically motivated.

Viktor Babariko, the former chief executive of a Russia-owned bank, aspired to challenge Belarus’ authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, in last year’s election.