Belarusian gets over 2 years in prison in spy case in Poland
A Belarusian has been sentenced by a Polish court to two years and two months behind bars for spying on behalf of Minsk.
The second defendant in the case, a Pole, was fined for failing to report the crime.
The trial was held in camera due to the crucial interest of the state. The verdict was announced to PAP on Monday by the spokesperson for the Regional Court in Lublin, Marta Smiech.
The court found Nikolay M. [surname withheld under Polish privacy law] guilty of participating in espionage activities for the intelligence of the Republic of Belarus, directed against Poland in the years 2018-2023.
According to the indictment, the 53-year-old Belarusian conducted surveillance of a number of locations, including a military airfield, in Biala Podlaska, gathered information on military air operations at the airport, the railway infrastructure and the movement of military equipment. He also collected information on facilities and vehicles operated by Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) in Biala Podlaska in the eastern Lubelskie province which borders both Belarus and Ukraine.
According to prosecutors, he also organised a communication channel with officers of the State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus (KGB).
M. has been in custody since March 2024. The period of pretrial detention was credited towards his sentence, which means he will be able to leave prison after May 30, this year.
The other accused, Bernard S., a 59-year-old Polish citizen had been indicted for assisting M. by providing him with accommodation and supporting his activities in Poland. The Lublin court changed the classification of the act to failure to notify law enforcement agencies about crime and imposed on S. a fine of PLN 7,000 (EUR 1,648).
Both men pleaded guilty.
The verdict is not final. (PAP)
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