In Minsk, foreigners kidnapped and tortured others, demanding Indian rupees for their release
In Minsk, the verdict against two foreigners, aged 20 and 36, accused of kidnapping and extortion, has entered into legal force. Both had no previous convictions, reports the "Minsk-Novosti" agency with reference to the Minsk prosecutor's office.
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According to the Minsk prosecutor's office, the men, acting by prior conspiracy, kidnapped two foreign citizens born in 1997 and 2001. They arrived in Belarus in transit to later travel to European Union countries.
The perpetrators locked them in a rented apartment on Independence Avenue and demanded 3.6 million Indian rupees for their release — more than 135 thousand Belarusian rubles.
The kidnappers took all the cash from the victims and then forced them to call their relatives via messengers using audio and video communication, asking them to transfer the required amount.
For at least 20 hours, the accused abused the men: they beat them with their hands, feet, and a knife handle on the head and body, tortured and humiliated them. All this was accompanied by threats of murder, mutilation, and sexual violence.
One of the victims managed to actively resist the attackers, thanks to which both men managed to escape from the apartment. The extortionists were detained, a criminal case was initiated against them, and they were taken into custody.
During the court proceedings, one of the accused completely denied his guilt, while the other admitted it partially.
The older man has a secondary education, is married and is raising an eight-year-old child. The younger one only completed seven grades, is not married. Both officially worked nowhere, had no permanent registration or place of residence in Belarus.
The court found them guilty of kidnapping and extortion. Each was sentenced to nine years of imprisonment in a reinforced-regime correctional colony, as well as a fine of 300 basic units — 13,500 rubles.