A Catholic activist in Belarus handed a 3-year sentence amid continuing crackdown

Published March 15, 2024 8:22 AM

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Catholic activist in Belarus has been handed a three-year prison sentence on charges that Western diplomats have denounced as politically driven, the latest move in the authorities’ sweeping crackdown on the country’s civil society. Thirty-three-year-old Uladzislau Beladzed taught the catechism at the city’s Cathedral of the Holy Name of the Saint Virgin Mary. He was convicted on charges of insulting the president and inciting social discord and sentenced Friday. Beladzed actively participated in protests sparked by a 2020 vote that handed another term to Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko and was denounced by the opposition and the West as rigged.

Article Topic Follows: AP-National

Jump to comments ↓

Associated Press

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

KION 46 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.