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On February 15, the Belarusian human rights community issued a statement recognizing freelance videographer Yauhen Hlushkou as a political prisoner.

According to Mayday.Team, a Mahilou-based human rights group, Hlushkou is accused of being involved in an extremist formation.

On February 8, former political prisoner and journalist from Drahichyn Siarhei Hardziyevich was released from the temporary detention center after serving a 15-day administrative detention sentence for distributing extremist products.

Last week, many Belarusians living in Lithuania were disturbed by the column written by journalist Rimas Bružas. Among other things, the author intended to show that Belarusian migrants who ‘bring along a stinking snake of disrespect towards our [Lithuanian] way of life’ are not welcome in the country. The text only presented a few facts, but one figure was easily verifiable. Journalist Siarhei Tsverdzichau questions certain claims from the high-profile story through a research.

№1 (75) 2024. Download PDF.

“My journalistic activity is connected with the portals 6tv.by and Mogilev.media, where I told about the events in Mogilev region and had an author's video column. In addition, I was the editor of the independent small-circulation newspaper “Stariy Zamok” in Bykhov“, writes Sergei Antonov.

Judge Zhanna Brysina of the Minsk City Court found Aliaksandr Ziankou guilty of participating in an extremist formation. The trial began on January 12, and three court hearings were held. On January 30, he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

The reason for his arrest on January 24 and his sentence have been revealed. On January 26, Judge Yulia Kuksa heard Siarhei Hardziyevich’s case in Drahichyn District Court.

Given the significant role of "anti-extremism policy" in shaping the media landscape in Belarus, this report aims to analyse the legal regulation of combating extremism and its current application concerning independent media and their representatives. The starting point for this analysis is the international standards of human rights and freedoms, which serve as the key benchmark for any democratic state under any circumstances. Download the file in PDF format.

Hardziyevich was detained on 24 January and is accused of distributing, producing, and storing information products that contain calls to conduct extremist activity. No further details are available at this time.

According to the Telegram channel Chryscijanskaja Vizija, Aksana Yuchkavich was arrested yesterday.

The Belarusian KGB took the decision on January 16 and announced it a week later, thus adding the radio station to the List of Organizations, Formations, and Individual Entrepreneurs Engaged in Extremist Activities.

As reported by Nasha Niva, he is accused of violating the law on countering extremism, preventing the rehabilitation of Nazism, and denying the genocide of the Belarusian people.

Sviatlana Lupach’s name was included in the List of Citizens of the Republic of Belarus, Foreign Citizens, and Stateless Persons Involved in Extremist Activities on January 19th. According to the list record, Lupach was imprisoned under Article 342 of the Criminal Code for organizing or participating in actions that grossly violated public order. Last August, the human rights community recognized her as a political prisoner.

UK MP Wendy Chamberlain has taken on the role of symbolic “godmother” to imprisoned journalist Larysa Shchyrakova, who was convicted for promoting extremist activity and discrediting the Republic of Belarus. Shchyrakova was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison, and her son was placed in an orphanage.