Belarus’ opposition leader denounces her trial as a farce

By The Associated Press

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — A trial in absentia has opened for Belarus’ top opposition leader who denounced the proceedings as a farce and urged the West to bolster support for the country’s beleaguered opposition. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was the main challenger in the August 2020 presidential election that extended President Alexander Lukashenko’s rule and was rejected by the Belarusian opposition and the West as a sham. Tsikhanouskaya left the ex-Soviet nation shortly after the vote under pressure from authorities. She is being tried in absentia along with four other leading opposition figures. She is facing charges of high treason, conspiracy to seize power and undermining national security at a closed-door trial that started Tuesday and could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.