Belarus Sentences Former Olympian Herasimenia To Prison

A Minsk court sentenced in absentia former Olympic swimmer Aliaksandra Herasimenia and political activist Alexander Opeykin to 12 years in prison for calling for sanctions and actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus.

“They were found guilty of public calls to commit actions aimed at causing harm to the national security of Belarus, including the use of restrictive measures (sanctions) against Belarus, individuals and legal entities of the republic,” the state news BelTA agency reported on Monday.

“Such actions entailed grave consequences.”

Belarus has been shunned by the United Nations and many countries for an ongoing crackdown on political opponents, civil society and journalists.

According to the U.S. embassy in Belarus, there are more than 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus.

Herasimenia, a three-time Olympic medallist, was among the elite athletes who fled Belarus in the wake of a crackdown against those who protested what they said was the fraudulent re-election of Alexander Lukashenko in August 2020.

Reuters /Samuel Isaiah