Russian man convicted of spying dies in Belarusian prison  

November 1, Pozirk. Dmitry Shletgauer, a 22-year-old Russian national jailed in Belarus on politically-motivated charges, died in prison three weeks ago, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

The cause of death remains unknown.

Shletgauer, who lived in Belarus since 2018, was given 12 years in a high-security prison on charges of facilitating extremism and espionage. No further details of his case are available because the trial was closed to the public. Rights groups considered his persecution to be politically motivated.

In late August, the Supreme Court rejected Shletgauer’s appeal, and he was transferred to Mahiloŭ’s Penal Colony No 15 in early fall.

Shletgauer is the seventh designated political prisoner who died in recent years behind bars in Belarus after Vitold Ašurak, Mikałaj Klimovič, Aleś Puškin, Vadzim Chraśko, Ihar Lednik and Alaksandar Kulinič.

Also read: Death of one more political convict reported