Ex-Belarusian 'hit squad member' acquitted of charges

A Belarusian man has been acquitted by a Swiss court on charges related to the forced disappearance of three prominent opposition figures in 1999. Yury Garavsky, who admitted to being part of a hit squad involved in the abductions but denied any direct involvement in their deaths, had his testimony questioned by the judge due to inconsistencies. The families of the victims had hoped for closure after 24 years of uncertainty. The case was initiated when Garavsky contacted journalists in 2019, revealing his participation in the disappearances. Despite providing a detailed account of the abductions, Garavsky's conflicting statements during the trial led to doubts about the truthfulness of his claims. The judge ultimately found him not guilty, stating that while Garavsky may have been a member of Belarus' SOBR special forces unit, his role in the abductions remains unclear. The judge also expressed belief that parts of Garavsky's testimony were fabricated. The Belarusian authorities have yet to respond to the BBC's request for comment.