Authorities detain journalists throughout Belarus, 5 remain in custody
Paris, March 16, 2023 — Belarusian authorities should release all journalists held for their work and stop harassing and intimidating members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. Since March 10, authorities have detained at least seven journalists throughout the country, five of whom remain in custody, and raided the office of…
Belarusian court upholds journalist Ivan Muravyou’s 2.5-year prison term
Paris, March 10, 2023–In response to news reports that Belarusian authorities upheld the two-and-a-half-year prison sentence of journalist Ivan Muravyou on Friday, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the ruling: “In Belarus, where trials of members of the media are ruthless and politically motivated, any hope of a fair verdict seems…
Belarusian authorities label newspaper, journalists’ association as ‘extremist’
Paris, March 7, 2023 — In response to multiple news reports that the Belarusian security service recently labeled the exiled Belarusian Association of Journalists and independent newspaper Brestskaya Gazeta as “extremist,” the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for authorities to stop harassing the organizations and let them work freely: “By labeling…
Belarusian prosecutor requests 10 years in prison for journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova
Paris, March 6, 2023–In response to media reports reports that a Belarusian prosecutor on Monday requested that journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova be sentenced to 10 years in prison, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement of condemnation: “A Belarusian prosecutor’s request that journalist Valeryia Kastsiuhova spend a decade behind bars is yet another illustration…
Belarusian journalist Yury Hladchuk sentenced to 2.5 years in prison
Paris, February 21, 2023–In response to news reports that Belarusian authorities sentenced journalist Yury Hladchuk to 2.5 years in prison in December, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “The opacity around the trial and sentencing of Belarusian journalist Yury Hladchuk shows that the Belarusian authorities continue to target journalists in the shadows,…
Belarus tries 3 NEXTA journalists on myriad of criminal charges
Paris, February 16, 2023 – In response to multiple news reports that the trial of Belarusian journalists Raman Pratasevich, Stsypan Putsila, and Yan Rudzik started on Thursday, with Pratasevich facing trial in person and the others being tried in absentia from exile, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement calling for the many…
Belarus authorities detain journalist Vyacheslau Lazarau on undisclosed charges
Paris, February 14, 2023 — Belarusian authorities should disclose the reason for the recent detention of journalist Vyacheslau Lazarau or free him immediately, and ensure that no members of the press are jailed for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On February 9, law enforcement in the northeastern city of Vitebsk detained…
CPJ joins calls to establish independent investigative mechanism for accountability in human rights violations in Belarus
CPJ joined 27 human rights and press freedom organizations in a letter on Monday, February 13, 2023, calling for the U.N. Human Rights Council to establish an independent investigative mechanism in Belarus. The letter, led by the Oslo-based Human Rights House Foundation, asked the council to create such a mechanism at its next session to…
Belarusian authorities sentence journalist Andrzej Poczobut to 8 years in prison, detain journalist Anastasia Sharkevich
Paris, February 8, 2023 – Belarusian authorities must immediately release journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Anastasia Sharkevich, and stop retaliating against journalists for their reporting, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Monday, February 6, Sharkevich, who manages the Telegram channel of the independent newspaper Narodnaya Volya, appeared in a video published by a pro-government…
Belarusian journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed detained on undisclosed charges
Paris, January 26, 2023 — Belarusian authorities should publicly disclose the reason for the arrests of journalists Dzmitry Harbunou and Pavel Padabed and ensure that no journalists are jailed for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. On January 18, Harbunou, a blogger based in the western city of Brest, appeared in a video…