The Supreme Court in Belarus has sentenced former agriculture minister, Vasily Leonov, to four years in jail and property confiscation for accepting bribes in food and furniture.

Mr Leonov denied the charges, which involved goods worth several thousand dollars.

His lawyer and human rights activists said the trial was politically motivated and had been personally controlled by President, Alexander Lukasheko.

Correspondents say that while in office from 1994 until his arrest in 1997 Mr Leonov criticised the president's authoritarian style of government and resistance to market reforms.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service