Belarusian Priest Sentenced to 11 Years in Penal Colony for Treason

Minsk, Belarus, December 30, 2024 — Father Henrykh Akalatovich, a Catholic priest from Valožyn, was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony on December 30, 2024, after being convicted of "treason against the state." The conviction follows a closed trial in the Minsk Regional Court, where the priest, who had been detained in November 2023, was found guilty despite pleading not guilty. His trial was held in secrecy, and the specific charges against him were not disclosed to the public. This sentencing highlights the ongoing persecution of the Catholic Church in Belarus, a country increasingly aligned with Russia's authoritarian policies.

Father Akalatovich, who is 70 years old, suffers from poor health. He has previously suffered a heart attack, battled cancer, and underwent stomach surgery before his detention. His medical condition requires specialized care, but there has been no update on his well-being since his imprisonment. Detained on November 17, 2023, in Valožyn, 43 miles west of Minsk, he was held in the KGB’s infamous “Amerika” detention center for over a year. Reports indicate he may serve his sentence in Novopolotsk, a notorious penal colony where political prisoners face harsh conditions.

Father Akalatovich's conviction highlights increasing restrictions on religious freedom under Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The country’s new Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations law, signed in December 2023, imposes strict limits on church activities and requires all religious groups to re-register by July 2025. Failure to comply could result in the dissolution of church parishes.

Observers attribute the crackdown to authoritarian control. “Regimes like this dislike any activity they cannot control,” said Felix Corley of Forum 18, a news service advocating religious freedom.

Father Akalatovich, who began his ministry in 1984, had previously been commended for preaching in the Belarusian language. However, he became a target of the Lukashenko regime after the contested 2020 elections, which were alleged to have been rigged. These elections, which saw Lukashenko declare victory with more than 80% of the vote, triggered widespread protests that were met with violent repression. As tensions escalated, many opposition leaders fled the country, and religious figures, including Father Akalatovich, were increasingly scrutinized.

The Catholic Church constitutes about 10% of Belarus’s population of 9.4 million. According to human rights groups, over 1,200 political prisoners are currently held in Belarus, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski.

Courtesy: OSV News