<p>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.</p>.<p>Viktor Babariko, the former chief executive of a Russia-owned bank, aspired to challenge Belarus' authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, in last year's election.</p>.<p>But Babariko was arrested two months before the August 2020 vote. His arrest drew thousands of protesters to the streets. At the time, he was widely perceived as a top contender in the race.</p>.<p>Babariko has remained in jail since his arrest and rejected the corruption charges against him as politically driven.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, he was found guilty of taking a bribe and money laundering. The court handed him a 14-year prison sentence and a fine roughly the equivalent of $57,000. He will not be able to appeal the Supreme Court verdict.</p>.<p>Lukashenko's reelection to a sixth term last year prompted months of mass protests, the largest of which drew up to 200,000 people.</p>.<p>The opposition refused to recognise the results of the election, saying that the vote was manipulated. Authorities responded to the demonstrations with a massive crackdown that saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police.</p>.<p>Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.</p>
<p>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.</p>.<p>Viktor Babariko, the former chief executive of a Russia-owned bank, aspired to challenge Belarus' authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, in last year's election.</p>.<p>But Babariko was arrested two months before the August 2020 vote. His arrest drew thousands of protesters to the streets. At the time, he was widely perceived as a top contender in the race.</p>.<p>Babariko has remained in jail since his arrest and rejected the corruption charges against him as politically driven.</p>.<p>On Tuesday, he was found guilty of taking a bribe and money laundering. The court handed him a 14-year prison sentence and a fine roughly the equivalent of $57,000. He will not be able to appeal the Supreme Court verdict.</p>.<p>Lukashenko's reelection to a sixth term last year prompted months of mass protests, the largest of which drew up to 200,000 people.</p>.<p>The opposition refused to recognise the results of the election, saying that the vote was manipulated. Authorities responded to the demonstrations with a massive crackdown that saw more than 35,000 people arrested and thousands beaten by police.</p>.<p>Most opposition leaders have been jailed or forced to leave the country.</p>