An Angolan court has found two Russian men guilty of terrorism and spying, sentencing them to jail terms for alleged involvement in planning a coup and organizing demonstrations in the country. Lev Lakhtanov and Igor Ratchin received sentences of 8 and 11 years respectively, according to reports of the conviction.
The two men, described by one source as a political consultant and a translator, were accused of planning to stage a coup and helping to organize deadly demonstrations related to fuel prices in the southern African nation last year. The men have denied the allegations against them, including charges related to fomenting protests.
The case represents a significant legal action in Angola involving foreign nationals accused of internal security threats. Details about the evidence presented at trial and the full circumstances surrounding the alleged plot remain limited in available reports.
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Featured photo: Original: Henrique de Carvalho Santos Vector: SKopp via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)