This is the best tl;dr I could make, original reduced by 65%. (I'm a bot)

> A former Olympic swimmer and a political activist were sentenced in absentia to 12 years in prison by a Belarusian court on Monday for their role in protesting Alexander Lukashenko's authoritarian regime.

> Champion swimmer Aliaksandra Herasimenia and political activist Alexander Opeykin were found guilty of actions aimed at "Causing harm to the national security of Belarus," according to the state-run BelTA news agency.

> Three-time Olympic medalist Herasimenia and Opeikin founded the Belarusian Sport Solidarity Foundation, which brings together hundreds of Belarusian athletes in opposition to Lukashenko.

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