Aliaksandra Herasimenia

Aliaksandra Herasimenia was a sprint freestyler and backstroker who won three Olympic medals while competing at three Olympic Games – 2008, 2012, and 2016. Her biggest international title came in winning the 2011 World Championship in the 100 free. Her numerous international podiums included 12 medals at the Universiade, with five golds from 2007-13, 11 medals (one gold) at the European Short-Course Championships from 2002-15, five medals at the European Championships, with gold in the 2010 50 metre backstroke, and three medals at the World Aquatic Championships.

Herasimenia later settled in Lithuania and while there became an outspoken critic of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. She was also critical of Belarussian President Aleksandr Lukashenko. In December 2022 she was tried in absentia by a Belarussian court and sentenced to 12 years in prison along with Aleksander Opeykin, head of the Belarussian Sport Solidarity Foundation, who also spoke out against Lukashenko. The court also seized Herasimenia’s assets, including her apartment, car, and bank accounts.

The Belarus state news agency stated, “From August, 2020 to May 20, 2022, through the media and the Internet, they disseminated deliberately false information and fabrications about the events that took place on the territory of Belarus, about the course and results of the election campaign 2020. 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. Such actions entailed grave consequences.”