Skrabets, a former member of parliament, was arrested in May 2005. He intended to challenge President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in next month's presidential election, but withdrew from the race.
Human rights groups have said the charges against Skrabets are political in nature.
Several opposition leaders have been jailed ahead of the election, which Lukashenka is widely expected to win. Lukashenka has said he will not tolerate a Georgian- or Ukrainian-style popular revolution.
(Reuters, AFP)
Video Roundtable On Belarus/Ukraine
On December 8, 2005, RFE/RL and the Policy Association for an Open Society (PASOS) jointly conducted a roundtable discussion on issues relating to Belarus's post-Soviet transition. To view video of the roundtable, click here.
See also:
Belarus: Authorities 'Cleanse' Media Ahead Of 2006 Vote
