Yury Garavsky: Man Who Confessed to Kidnapping Belarusian Politicians Found Not Guilty in Swiss Trial

Yury Garavsky, a former special forces soldier, confessed to being part of a hit squad in Belarus that abducted and killed prominent members of the opposition. However, despite his confession, he was acquitted in a trial in Switzerland. The judge claimed that Garavsky's statements were contradictory and there was not enough evidence to prove his involvement. Two of the victims' daughters, who have spent decades seeking justice, were present in court during the trial. They expressed their disbelief and frustration at the verdict, which they viewed as contradicting common sense. Garavsky contacted journalists in 2019, claiming his involvement in the disappearances, but he struggled to convince migration officers of his story while seeking political asylum in Switzerland. The daughters of the missing men petitioned Swiss prosecutors to open a criminal case, leading to Garavsky's detention and eventual charges. Garavsky detailed the abduction and murder of the victims in court, although he denied being the one who carried out the executions. However, he did admit to being directly involved in the violent abduction and described how the bodies were disposed of. The daughters, who have lived with the pain and uncertainty of their fathers' disappearances, listened attentively to Garavsky's account. They had previously met Garavsky in 2020 and found him to be burdened with guilt over his crimes. The families of the victims have long believed that the Belarusian authorities were involved in the disappearances and view their quest for justice as a means to have the truth officially recognized. Despite the judge acknowledging the involvement of the Belarusian authorities, he found Garavsky an unreliable witness due to the contradictions in his statements. This decision has left the families disappointed, and they plan to appeal the verdict in a higher court.