Minsk Court Issues Guilty Verdict Against Prominent Sommelier For Participating In Protests

• 29.08.2023, 13:51

Judge Inna Sivets delivered the verdict.

Human rights activists became aware of the sentence to the co-owner of one of the wine bars in Minsk and the famous sommelier Aliaksandr Kulbachko. He was detained on October 11, 2022 and charged with “organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or actively participating in them” (part 1 of article 342 of the Criminal Code). Prior to the trial, Aliaksandr was kept in the detention centre #1 in Minsk, human rights activists report.

Aliaksandr Kulbachko is a co-owner of one of the wine bars in Minsk. He was recognized as the Best Sommelier of Belarus in 2017. He is the host of the Sasha and Vino Telegram channel. Has minor children.

According to the prosecution, Mr Kulbachko took part in mass protests four times in August-October 2020. He “stood and moved along the roadway and streets, blocked road traffic, did not obey the demands of police officers” in different places in Minsk.

The Oktiabrski District Court of Minsk considered the case on February 28. Judge Inna Sivets sentenced Aliaksandr to three years of home arrest.

On March 24, 2023, he was included in the list of “citizens of Belarus, foreign citizens and stateless persons involved in extremist activities."