A court in Belarus sentences 20 analysts to prison terms on charges of conspiracy

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A court in Belarus has sentenced 20 political analysts to prison terms of at least 10 years each after convicting them in absentia of conspiracy to overthrow the government and taking part in an extremist group. The analysts all live outside Belarus, but could be imprisoned upon returning to the authoritarian state. The convictions and sentences announced on Monday come as a relentless crackdown has put many prominent opposition figures in prison and forced others to leave Belarus.