In Belarus, authorities are selling the property of a priest convicted of espionage after his clemency

In Belarus, by decision of the KGB, the property of Catholic priest Henrikh Okolotovich is being seized and sold. The clergyman was convicted of “high treason” and, two years later, released following a petition from the Vatican.
This was reported by the Telegram channel Christian Vision: No to War.
On the BelYurObespechenie platform, which handles the sale of seized and confiscated property, two lots belonging to Gennadii, the priest’s civil name, Okolotovich have been listed for February, a land plot and a car.

Catholic priest Henrikh Okolotovich was detained in November 2023. Security forces accused him of “high treason.” On December 30, 2024, he was sentenced to 11 years in a penal colony. According to investigators, the priest was involved in “espionage in favor of Poland and the Vatican.”

The convicted priest maintained that there was “not a single word of truth in his case, not a single fact indicating espionage, and that the entire accusation was built on lies, threats, and blackmail.” He stated that priests are being persecuted in order to silence them, “so that the Catholic Church does not speak the truth.”

Under the court’s verdict, he was ordered to “compensate damages” in the amount of 1.7 million rubles, approximately 500,000 euros. As a result, his property was placed under arrest.

After the verdict, not only money but also icons were confiscated from Okolotovich and from his parish. As Nasha Niva reports, the convicted priest was most concerned that security forces had taken the car that had been donated to the parish by the Pope.

In November 2025, the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus announced the release of priest Henrikh Okolotovich, as well as another convicted clergyman, Andrei Iukhnevich. It was reported that direct involvement in securing their release was taken by the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches, Cardinal Gugerotti, the Apostolic Nuncio to Belarus, Bishop Ignazio Ceffalia, and the head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Belarus, Archbishop Iuzef.

The outlet Katolik.life draws attention to the fact that an official pardon of Father Okolotovich had been announced. However, this “pardon” proved to be only partial, as it did not affect the financial component of the sentence.