Belarusian authorities detained Yauhen Nikalayevich, a former video reporter with independent news website Media Polesye, in early 2024 on charges of violating public order.
Nikalayevich served a 10-day prison sentence in November 2020 on charges of “participating in an unsanctioned event” after his coverage of protests calling for President Aleksandr Lukashenko to resign in the southwestern city of Pinsk.
After serving his sentence, Nikalayevich left Belarus and stopped practicing journalism. When he returned to the country in early 2024, authorities detained him.
The new charges against Nikalayevich are “most likely” related to his coverage of the 2020 protests, a representative of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an advocacy and trade group operating from exile, told CPJ under the condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal.
The trial ended in October, and the journalist was convicted of violating public order, but the exact verdict is not yet known. Part 1, Article 342 of the Belarusian criminal code carries a penalty of up to four years imprisonment.
On December 3, Nikalayevich’s sentence was upheld. On December 6, the Ministry of Interior added him to its list of people allegedly involved in extremist activity.
CPJ’s emails to the Belarusian Investigative Committee, the country’s law enforcement agency responsible for investigating crimes, in late 2024 for comment did not receive any reply.