Catholic priest in Belarus sentenced to three years in prison — RMF24

In Belarus, Catholic priest Anatol Parakhnevich, parish priest of the parish in Olkovichi, Minsk region, has been sentenced to three years in prison and a substantial fine. As RMF24 reports, the sentence was handed down on charges of “insulting the authorities and extremism.”

Closed trial

The priest was detained in mid-March. Initially, he was accused of high treason, but the classification of the case was later changed to a less severe one. Parakhnevich was in custody on the day of his 66th birthday and the 31st anniversary of his priestly ordination.

The sentence was delivered in October, but it only became known now. The exact substance of the accusations against the priest is unknown, as the case was heard behind closed doors. The Viasna Human Rights Center and human rights defenders associated with it have included Parakhnevich on the list of political prisoners.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Possible reason for the persecution

According to independent sources cited by the ZnadNiemna portal in October, the Belarusian authorities’ attention to Parakhnevich may have been drawn by his participation in a Constitution Day reception on May 3 at the Polish Embassy in Minsk. Contacts with Polish institutions had previously been used as a pretext for persecuting members of the clergy.

Parakhnevich has headed the parish in Olkovichi since 2007. Before that, he served in Rakov and Zaslavl, and underwent priestly formation in Bialystok. At the church, he created a small museum where he collected antique liturgical vestments, folk woven items, and old books. ZnadNiemna noted that the priest’s detention is taking place amid pressure on the Catholic Church in Belarus.