Belarus sentences in absentia former Olympian Herasimenia to 12 years in prison - BelTA

Swimming – 17th FINA World Aquatics Championships – Women's 50m Backstroke medal ceremony – Budapest, Hungary – July 27, 2017 – Aliaksandra Herasimenia of Belarus (bronze) poses with the medal. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

(Reuters) - 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.