Prominent goalkeeper gets two years of restricted freedom over protests
December 29, BPN. A court in Minsk has sentenced former Belarusian national soccer team goalkeeper Vasil Chamutoŭski to two years of restricted freedom without referral to an open-type correctional facility, Tribuna.com Belarus reported.
This type of sentence implies that he will be confined to his residence during non-working hours and will be required to retain or seek employment. Police can visit him anytime to make sure he complies with the terms of confinement.
Authorities accused Chamutoŭski of participating in post-election protests. Police arrested the famous footballer on September 30 for a repost from an opposition Telegram channel.
Chamutoŭski has been coaching goalkeepers at Ukraine’s FC Lviv since January 2022. He came to Minsk for surgery and intended to return to Lviv in October.
After the disputed 2020 presidential election, the ex-goalkeeper, who had played for Belarusian, Romanian, German and Austrian clubs and had been capped for the national team, joined athletes’ movement for change. He later expressed support for Ukraine, which is fighting against Russian military aggression.
On December 15, police arrested prominent athlete and Olympic medalist Nadzieja Astapčuk, who had supported the opposition in 2020.
Belarusian authorities have a track record of persecuting dissident athletes, including the 2019 world champion in aerials Alaksandra Ramanoŭskaja, basketball players Alena Leŭčanka and Jahor Meščarakoŭ. Soccer player and sports journalist Alaksandr Ivulin is one of the athletes behind bars on politically-motivated charges.
- Politics
- SocietyBelarusians donate thousands to bullying specialists under UNICEF-MTS projectThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityOpposition faction calls for negotiations to exchange two former Belarusian soldiers in UkraineThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelPol concerned about Belarusian business executives’ planned visit to ItalyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus slides in corruption perception rankingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyMore Belarusians arrested for offenses in PolandThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLebanese president planning to visit MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyUkraine to terminate communications deal with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsProminent fitness coach Navažyłava to stand trial over postelection protestsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarusian diplomat says Trump’s decisions to affect UNThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Economy
- Economy
- Politics
- PoliticsBelarus' top diplomat in Lebanon after it forms new governmentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEU advisory body to help organize a series of Belarus-themed eventsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsBelarus to negotiate double tax treaty with JordanThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: ex-prisoner sounds alarm over health of women jailed over politicsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, PoliticsEU not to recognize Łukašenka, Cichanoŭskaja says after Brussels meetingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics, SecurityAttack drone incursions, explosions reported in southern BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus reports hike in trade deficit for 2024The material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŠarenda-Panasiuk says journalist Andrejeva was beaten by security officers in penal colonyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics
- PoliticsFormer project coordinator pessimistic about New Belarus PassportThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Economy, SocietyBiełstat: consumer prices up by 0.7 percent in JanuaryThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsFormer prisoner Šarenda-Panasiuk opposes talks with Łukašenka, calls him "Russian puppet"The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Elections, Politics