Belarusian Catholic Priest Sentenced to 11 Years for Criticizing Government

Rev. Henrykh Akalatovich's conviction marks the first politically-driven charges against Catholic clergy in Belarus since its independence in 1991.

Rev. Henrykh Akalatovich, 64, was sentenced to 11 years in prison on charges of high treason after criticizing Belarusian authorities in his sermons.
The sentencing comes as President Alexander Lukashenko's government intensifies its crackdown on dissent ahead of the January 26 presidential election, expected to secure him a seventh term.
Akalatovich, who underwent cancer surgery shortly before his arrest in November 2023, has been held incommunicado, with prison officials rejecting food and clothing sent to him.
The priest is among dozens of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant clergy targeted for opposing the disputed 2020 election, which sparked mass protests and a violent government response.
Human rights groups, including the Viasna Human Rights Center, have condemned the charges, viewing them as an effort to silence religious leaders critical of the regime.