Kozulin, 50, a former presidential candidate and leader of the Social Democratic Party, was arrested during protests in the capital, Minsk, on March 25 against the results of the presidential elections of March 19 that saw President Alexander Lukashenko re-elected for a third term. Kozulin's trial began July 6.
Irina Kozulin said the judge had ordered journalists to leave the courtroom at the beginning of the hearing Thursday, after the defendant demanded his release and said he did not trust the court.
Kozulin was convicted on charges of hooliganism, violating public order and refusing to obey to law-enforcement officers. Under the law, the charges pressed against him envisioned a sentence ranging from a fine to six years in prison.
The defense team will appeal the ruling in the city court of Minsk, defense lawyer Igor Rynkevich said, adding that the verdict was too harsh for Kozulin who, he said, was innocent.
Prosecutors had requested a six-year term for the opposition leader.
