A court in Minsk has sentenced the Belarusian ex-swimmer and government critic Aliaksandra Herasimenia to twelve years in prison in absentia.
The 36-year-old was found guilty on several counts, including “calls for sanctions” and other actions “with the aim of damaging national security,” said the human and civil rights organization Vyazna.
Herasimenia, who won two silver and one bronze medals at the Olympic Games and ended her sports career in 2019, has been living in exile since autumn 2020 and did not attend the court hearing. She co-founded the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF) after mass protests against the controversial re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko in 2020.
The foundation provides financial and legal assistance to athletes who have been persecuted by the authorities because of their political views. She also campaigned for a boycott of sporting events in Belarus and appealed to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to suspend the former Soviet republic. In Belarus, the foundation was classified as extremist.
In April 2021, Herasimenia auctioned off a gold medal she won at the 2012 World Championships for €13,500 to support the foundation with the proceeds.