Discharge of the payment order gave hope to Belarusian activists that the verdict will be revised. Yet, the court disregarded this fact as well as the legal opinion submitted by the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, challenging the allegations.
As a consequence of the court’s ruling, Vesna Human Rights Centre lost its office. The first-instance court ordered the confiscation of Mr Belyatsky’s property, including the premises in which the Centre was headquartered.
The international community was outraged by the trial court’s decision. It was condemned by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the European Commission and the Council of Europe.
