Lawyer asks to acquit Sasha Varlamau
A Minsk court has adjourned the case of fashion designer Sasha Varlamau until July 5 when the defendant is to make his last plea.
The court’s decision will be pronounced in a few weeks.
The dispute continued during the fashion designer’s trial in Minsk Lenin District Court on June 25. Varlamau’s lawyer mentioned all his contributions to the development of the national fashion industry and controversial points in the case. The lawyer said that information about Varlamau’s flat in Berlin was false. He also pointed at investigators’ mistakes.
“The assumption that the defendant had legal rights for economical activities is ungrounded… He was in charge of the art activities… He was not in charge of the financial issues, he did not have the right or it. Other people had to do it,” the lawyer said.
The lawyer spoke for over 2 hours. He asked to acquit his client.
Only a few Varlamau’s relatives came to court, there were 5 of them. The fashion designer crutched into the court room.
Varlamau may be returned guilty of having violated the following articles of the Criminal Code: power abuse, major larceny, misappropriation and tax evasion. The prosecutor has asked to imprison him for 5 years. The designer has already been jailed for 2 years – since May 2011. His trial started in February 2013.
Photo: svaboda.org
