Belarus: RSF unveils portraits of 27 imprisoned media professionals
As 23 May marks the anniversary of the hijacking of a plane by Alexander Lukashenko's regime to arrest journalist Raman Pratasevich, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reminds the world that 27 media professionals are locked up in Belarusian prisons and urges for their release.
Twenty-three May will mark the first anniversary of the hijacking of the Athens-Vilnius Ryanair flight in order to arrest journalist Raman Pratasevich. An unprecedented event symbolising “the war President Lukashenko is waging on journalism, which has entered a nightmarish phase,” said Christophe Deloire, the secretary-general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
This crackdown on journalists in Belarus is being carried out in particular through legal proceedings on spurious grounds, especially on the charge of “extremism”. Raman Pratasevich has to answer the case against him with the charges of: organisation of riots, organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them, and incitement to hatred. While he has been under house arrest in an unknown location since June 2021, today, 27 media professionals are incarcerated in Belarus, the fourth largest prison for journalists in the world.
"The authorities have been trying to suppress all independent voices and strike fear into the hearts of journalists for almost 2 years” said Jeanne Cavelier, the head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk. “RSF hails the courage of those who continue to report on the crackdown in Belarus and calls to stop such harassment and to release Raman Pratasevich and the 27 journalists jailed for doing their job.”
Katsiaryna Andreyeva (Bakhvalava)
Journalist at Belsat TV
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code), high treason (art. 356)
Jailed since: 15 November 2020
Judicial situation: sentenced on 18 February to 2 years in prison, awaiting trial on new charges (expected May 2022)
Darya Chultsova
Journalist at Belsat TV
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 15 November 2020
Judicial situation: sentenced on 18 February to 2 years in prison
Siarhei Hardziyevich
Journalist at Perchy Reguion
Charges: insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus (art. 368 of the Criminal Code), insulting a government official (art. 369), Defamation (art. 188)
Jailed since: 22 December 2020
Judicial situation: sentenced on 2 August to 1 and a half years in prison
Kseniya Lutskina
Former journalist at Belarus 2 TV, co-founder of a YouTube channel project
Charges: conspiracy to seize power in an unconstitutional way (art. 357 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 22 December 2020
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Andrei Aliaksandrau
founder and chief editor of the news website Belaruski Zhurnal, former deputy director of BelaPAN
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code), evasion of taxes and fees (art. 243), High treason (art. 356), creation of an extremist formation, or participation in it (art. 361-1)
Jailed since: 12 January 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Dzianis Ivachyne
Investigative journalist at Novy Chas, editor of the InformNapalm news website
Charges: interference in the activities of a police officer (art. 365 of the Criminal Code), High treason (art. 356)
Jailed since: 12 March 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Andrzej Poczobut
Correspondent of the Polish newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza
Charges: incitement to hatred (art.130 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 25 March 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Maryna Zolatava
Editor-in-chief of Tut.by
Charges: evasion of taxes and fees (art. 243 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 18 May 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Alena Talkachova
Journalist at Tut.by
Charges: evasion of taxes and fees (art. 243 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 18 May 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Valerya Kastsiuhava
Editor at the Belarusian Yearbook
Charges: calls for actions aimed at causing harm to the national security (art. 361 of the Criminal Code), conspiracy to seize power in an unconstitutional way (art. 357)
Jailed since: 30 June 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Aliaksandr Ivulin
Journalist at Tribuna
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 3 June 2021
Judicial situation: sentenced on 19 January 2022 to 2 years in prison
Yahor Martsinovich
Editor-in-chief of Nasha Niva
Charges: infliction of property damage without signs of theft (art. 216 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 8 July 2021
Judicial situation: sentenced on 15 March 2022 to 2 and a half years in prison
Andrei Skurko
Journalist and head of marketing at Nasha Niva
Charges: infliction of property damage without signs of theft (art. 216 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 8 July 2021
Judicial situation: sentenced on 15 March 2022 to 2 and a half years in prison
Iryna Levshyna
Director and editor-in-chief of BelaPAN
Charges: creation of an extremist formation, or participation in it (art. 361-1 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 18 August 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Dzmitry Navajylau
Former director of BelaPAN
Charges: evasion of taxes and fees (art. 243 of the Criminal Code), Creation of an extremist formation, or participation in it (art. 361-1)
Jailed since: 18 August 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Genadz Mazheika
Journalist at Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarus
Charges: incitement to hatred (art.130 of the Criminal Code), insulting a government official (art. 369)
Jailed since: 2 October 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Iryna Slaunikava
Journalist at Belsat TV
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code), creation of an extremist formation, or participation in it (art. 361-1)
Jailed since: 30 October 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Andrei Kuznechyk
Journalist at Radio Svaboda (RFE/RL)
Charges: not known
Jailed since: 25 November 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Siarhei Satsiuk
Editor-in-chief of Ejednevnik (EJ.BY)
Charges: taking a bribe (art. 430 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 8 December 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Aleh Hruzdzilovich
Journalist at Radio Svaboda (RFE/RL)
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 23 December 2021
Judicial situation: sentenced on 3 March 2022 to 1 and a half years in prison
Aksana Kolb
Editor-in-chief of Novy Chas
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 20 April 2022
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Yury Hantsarevich
Journalist at Intex-Press
Charges: promotion of extremist activities (article 361-4 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 5 May 2022
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Dzmitry Luksha
Journalist at Khabar 24
Charges: organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342 of the Criminal Code), discrediting the Republic of Belarus (article 369-1)
Jailed since: 11 March 2022
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Ihar Losik
Founder of the Telegram channel Belarus Golovnogo Mozga, consultant for Radio Svaboda (RFE/RL)
Charges: organisation of riots (part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code), Incitement to hatred (art.130)
Jailed since: 25 June 2020
Judicial situation: sentenced on 14 December 2021 to 15 years in prison
Eduard Palchys
Founder of the 1863x.com website
Charges: organisation of riots (part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code), organisation and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them (art. 342), calls for actions aimed at causing harm to the national security (art. 361) Incitement to hatred (art.130)
Jailed since: 27 September 2020
Judicial situation: sentenced on 17 December 2021 to 13 years in prison
Liudmila Chekina
General director of TUT.BY
Charges: evasion of taxes and fees (art. 243 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 18 May 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial
Kanstantsin Zalatykh
Director of Belorusy i Rynok
Charges: incitement to hatred (art.130 of the Criminal Code)
Jailed since: 18 May 2021
Judicial situation: on remand, awaiting trial