Olympic swimmer Aliaksandra Herasimenia has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being accused of "creating an extremist formation" to oppose the President of Belarus.
Herasimenia, 36, was also found guilty of "calling for sanctions against Belarus" and "spreading false information about the events", relating to political protests in 2020. Despite living in Lithuania since 2019, she was trialled due to new laws signed that allow trial in absentia.
Herasimenia won two silver medals in the London 2012 Olympics, and bronze in Rio four years later. She also won gold medals in the World and European Championships.
