The double Olympic swimming medalist Aliaksandra Herasimenia was sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison in Belarus accused of creating “an extremist formation,” the Viasna rights defense association announced Monday.
Herasimenia, 36 years old and a double Olympic medalist (silver in 2012 and bronze in 2016), was sentenced by a Minsk court at the end of a trial that began on December 19, Viasna said.
According to this NGO, the swimmer, who retired in 2019 and lives in exile, was also found guilty for having made “calls for sanctions against Belarus” as well as for “dissemination of false information about events” that occurred in that country in 2020, during the unprecedented protest against the re-election of President Alexandre Lukashenko, in power since 1994.
Then, Herasimenia signed an open letter together with other athletes from his country demanding “free elections” and created the Belarusian Foundation for Sports Solidarity, which financially and legally helps Belarusian athletes persecuted by the authorities, who consider this entity as a ” extremist formation.
In April 2021, the swimmer auctioned the gold medal obtained at the 2012 World Cup for 13,500 euros to raise funds to help opposing athletes.
For more than two years, the Belarusian authorities have been carrying out a relentless repression against any movement opposing the Lukashenko regime, which is why most opposition figures are imprisoned or living in exile. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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