Belarus sentences reporter Hlafira Zhuk to jail, authorities continue to harass journalists
Vilnius, Lithuania, June 2, 2021 — Belarusian authorities should release journalist Hlafira Zhuk immediately and cease harassing members of the press over their news coverage, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On May 31, the Maskouski District Court in Minsk, the capital, sentenced Zhuk, a correspondent for the independent news website Narodnaya Volya, to 30…
In Belarus, Pratasevich’s arrest highlights risks facing journalists covering protests
The May 23 arrest of Belarusian journalist and blogger Raman Pratasevich off a diverted commercial passenger flight was a shattering blow to press freedom in Belarus. Pratasevich is the co-founder of NEXTA and chief editor of Belarus of the Brain, two Telegram channels that covered protests against President Aleksandr Lukashenko, a dangerous beat in the country where demonstrations are…
Belarusian authorities briefly detain 4 Tut.by journalists; at least 13 staff remain in custody
New York, May 25, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately and unconditionally release all employees of the independent news website Tut.by who remain in custody, and cease harassing the outlet’s employees, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, police in Minsk, the capital, arrested Tut.by reporters Anastasiya Prudnikava and Dzianis Burkouski, and social media…
Council of the EU must press Belarus to release journalist Raman Pratasevich
Brussels, May 25, 2021 – In response to a statement yesterday by the European Council demanding the immediate release of Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich and calling for sanctions on Belarusian officials, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We welcome the call by European leaders for the immediate release of Belarusian journalist Raman…
Detained Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich appears in ‘confession’ video
Vilnius, Lithuania, May 24, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Raman Pratasevich, who was detained yesterday, and allow him to leave the country freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, Pratasevich appeared in a 29-second video first published by the pro-government Telegram channel Zhyoltiye Slivy. In that video, which…
Belarus arrests journalist Raman Pratasevich after diverting flight to Minsk
New York, May 23, 2021—In response to news reports that Belarusian authorities today diverted a commercial passenger flight to Minsk in order to arrest journalist Raman Pratasevich, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “We are shocked by today’s action, even as President Aleksandr Lukashenko’s government has increasingly strangled the press in Belarus…
Belarusian authorities raid 3 offices of Tut.by, detain journalists in tax case
Vilnius, Lithuania, May 18, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must allow the independent news website Tut.by to work freely, and should immediately and unconditionally release all of its employees in custody, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, officers of the Belarus Financial Investigation Department raided Tut.by’s headquarters in Minsk, the capital, its regional offices…
Tut.by reporter Lyubov Kasperovich sentenced to 15 days for covering trial
Vilnius, Lithuania, May 17, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must immediately release journalist Lyubov Kasperovich and stop persecuting members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Today, the Maskouvsky District Court in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, sentenced Kasperovich, a reporter for Belarusian independent news website Tut.by, to 15 days of detention,…
Belarusian authorities detain 2 journalists covering opposition trial
Vilnius, Lithuania, May 13, 2021 — Belarusian authorities must release journalists Alyaksandr Burakau and Uladzimir Laptsevich immediately, drop all charges against them, and cease jailing members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. Yesterday, police in the eastern city of Mohilev arrested Burakau, a freelance reporter working with German…
CPJ testifies on threats to press freedom in Belarus at Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
Yesterday, at a hearing on Democracy and Human Rights in Belarus before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said gave testimony on the threats to press freedom and safety of journalists in Belarus. Said spoke on the sharp increase in press freedom violations and journalists’ detentions since the…