Trial over Belarusian mercenaries in Libya postponed until May 8

Trial over the citizens of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine detained in Libya on an accusation of aiding the regime of Muammar Gaddafi has been postponed until May 8.

The information was delivered by Ilya Samonin, the head of the consular section of the Russian Embassy in Tripoli.

“There was no trial yesterday. It was postponed for a week due to May Day,” he told Interfax news agency Wednesday.

“The hearing is to take place on May 8,” he told to the news agency.

On August 27, 2011, Libyan rebel battalion Kakaa detained Russians Dolgov and Shadrov as well as some citizens of Ukraine and Belarus (a total of 25 persons). The group was accused of repairing military equipment the Gaddafi regime used to “destroy the people of Lybia”.

The group was released on September 3 due to efforts of the Russian Embassy in Tripoli. However, all of them people were detained again on September 6 to investigate their possible involvement in the maintenance and modernization of tanks for former Libyan leader Gaddafi.

Trial against the detainees was scheduled for April 16, but later postponed until May 1.