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Trial of Belarusians in Libya may draw to close on June 4

The trial of three Belarusian citizens in Libya may draw to a close on June 4, Alyaksandr Astrowski, head of the Belarusian foreign ministry's Main Consular Department, told reporters in Minsk on May 22, Belapan said.

"A ruling may be pronounced on that day, but this is not certain," he said.

The Belarusians stand accused of assisting the forces of the deposed autocratic ruler Muammar al-Qadhafi.

A fourth Belarusian who was arrested by rebel forces in Libya has not been charged, Mr. Astrowski said. According to the official, one of the Belarusians was rounded up together with Ukrainians and the other three were apprehended along with Russian nationals.

"Their detention conditions are pretty poor," he said, adding that the Belarusians are held in what previously were a gym and a canteen.

Each of the Belarusians is represented in court by his own lawyer. "The trial has taken a fairly unpredictable course. The first two trial sessions were cancelled as the lawyers had not been familiarized with the case file," Mr. Astrowski said.

Belarusian diplomats have been allowed to visit the detained compatriots at least twice a week. They have attended trial sessions and helped the accused talk to their relatives by phone and receive parcels from their families.

Earlier this year, the Belarusian foreign ministry condemned the trial and described the charges as false. "The Belarusian nationals were traveling to Libya for working at civilian facilities under civilian contracts. They had not even gotten down to work and had just crossed the Libyan border [when they were arrested]," Andrey Savinykh, spokesman for the ministry, said last month.