The former swimmer, who retired from swimming in 2019 and now lives in self-imposed exile, was also found guilty of “calling for sanctions on Belarus” and “spreading false information about the events” that took place in her country in 2020.
Olympic champion Alexandra Herasimenia was today sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison in Belarus on the charge of “creating an extremist structure”, as announced by the human rights organization Viasna.
The 36-year-old swimmer was found guilty by a court in Minsk, according to a statement posted on the non-governmental organization’s website. It was clarified that her trial began on December 19. Herasimenia was a “silver” Olympian in the 2012 Olympic Games and a “bronze” in 2016.
The former swimmer, who retired from swimming in 2019 and now lives in self-imposed exile, was also found guilty of “calling for sanctions on Belarus” and “spreading false information about the events” that took place in her country in 2020.
That year, during an unprecedented wave of protest against the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko as the country’s president, Kherasimenia signed an open letter, along with other Belarusian athletes, calling for “free elections”.
Soon after, he founded the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), an organization that provides financial and legal support to Belarusian athletes prosecuted by the authorities. Minsk characterizes the Foundation as an “extremist structure”.
In April 2021, Herasimenia auctioned (€13,500) the gold medal she had won at the 2012 World Championships to raise money to support dissident athletes.
In another statement, Viasna also said that a trade unionist, Alexander Yarochuk, was sentenced today to four years in prison for “disrupting order” in 2020.
Olympic champion Alexandra Herasimenia was today sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison in Belarus on the charge of “creating an extremist structure”, as announced by the human rights organization Viasna.
The 36-year-old swimmer was found guilty by a court in Minsk, according to a statement posted on the non-governmental organization’s website. It was clarified that her trial began on December 19. Herasimenia was a “silver” Olympian in the 2012 Olympic Games and a “bronze” in 2016.
The former swimmer, who retired from swimming in 2019 and now lives in self-imposed exile, was also found guilty of “calling for sanctions on Belarus” and “spreading false information about the events” that took place in her country in 2020.
That year, during an unprecedented wave of protest against the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko as the country’s president, Kherasimenia signed an open letter, along with other Belarusian athletes, calling for “free elections”.
Soon after, he founded the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation (BSSF), an organization that provides financial and legal support to Belarusian athletes prosecuted by the authorities. Minsk characterizes the Foundation as an “extremist structure”.
In April 2021, Herasimenia auctioned (€13,500) the gold medal she had won at the 2012 World Championships to raise money to support dissident athletes.
In another statement, Viasna also said that a trade unionist, Alexander Yarochuk, was sentenced today to four years in prison for “disrupting order” in 2020.
RES-EMP
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