Catholic priest in Belarus sentenced to 11 years as crackdown on dissent continues

Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Catholic priest in Belarus has been convicted on charges of high treason for criticizing the government and handed an 11-year sentence, in the first case of politically-driven charges against Catholic clergy since Belarus became independent in the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Monday’s conviction and sentencing of Rev. Henrykh Akalatovich comes as Belarusian authorities have intensified their sweeping crackdown on dissent ahead of January’s presidential election. Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko is all but certain to win a seventh term in office in the Jan. 26 vote. The Viasna Human Rights Center said Akalatovich, 64, rejected the accusations. The group has listed him among 1,265 political prisoners in the country.