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Deutsche Welle correspondent Nicholas Connolly was detained during the coverage of the protest action on Bangalore Square in Minsk on March 27. He presented a German passport, his official accreditation and the inscription “Press” on his vest, the media reports, but was still detained.

Belarusian authorities have escalated repression against independent journalists in the past five months, Human Rights Watch said today. The authorities have arbitrarily detained and beaten journalists, imposed fines and prison sentences on politically motivated charges, revoked their media credentials, and raided their homes and offices.  

In the morning the police came with a search warrant to the home of journalist Andrzej Paczobut, his wife Aksana managed to report. The search is done as part of a criminal case under Art. 130 ( "Incitement of hatred").

Leaders of 50 journalists’ unions and associations in 34 European countries today called on their governments to intensify pressure and take action in the face of constant violations of human rights and press freedom in Belarus. In a joint letter, they urge their head of government to demand from the Belarusian authorities the immediate release of the 12 imprisoned journalists and the withdrawal of administrative and criminal proceedings against Belarusian journalists.

Hrodna journalist Dzyanis Ivashin was detained on March 12. His latest article for "Novy Chas" was about former Ukrainian Berkut employees successfully got a job in the Belarusian police. He is also a journalist and editor of the Belarusian service of the InformNapalm website.

The Investigative Committee of Belarus believes that blogger Anton Motolko is involved in a number of crimes, the press service of the agency reports.

On 23 March, the court of the Frunzensky district of Minsk began to consider the case of interpreter Olga Kalatskaya, who is accused of malicious hooliganism. She allegedly hit STV employee Grigory Azarenok several times during one of the rallies. The state prosecution requested two years of restricted freedom in an open penitentiary for a slap in the face.

On Monday, March 22, Masty reporter of Hazeta Slonimskaya Yazep Palubiatka was summoned for questioning by the police. He entered the police station at 11 a.m. He did not return home that day.

Bastunets was questioned as a witness on the morning of March 16, again. After that some of the seized items were returned.  "They returned only some of the documents — those that were in the safe box, including employment records, and statutory documents," -- Bastunets said.

The deputy chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists will be interrogated at the Central Office of the Investigative Committee as a witness in a criminal case on March 24.

A monthly chronology of repression and resistance in Belarus, based on the work of IFEX members and other international and domestic actors.

On the morning of March 17 Hrodna police arrested journalist Yan Roman, near his home. The police "examined" his apartment and seized his phone and laptop. In the afternoon the police came with "inspection" to the home of journalist Ales Dzianisau.

Dzianis Ivashyn is the 11th journalist under arrest in Belarus. He was arrested on the evening of Friday 12 March in Grodno, in the west of the country. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its Belarusian affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), in calling for his immediate release and that of the other ten journalists detained in Belarus.

Detained on Friday, March 12, journalist Dzianis Ivashyn was charged today under Article 365 of the Criminal Code ( "Interference with the activities of a law-enforcement officer").

Journalist Dzianis Ivashyn was detained in his apartment at about 6 p.m. Before that, a blue minivan parked near the apartment block. The search of journalist Dzianis Ivashin ended late at night, Dzianis was placed in the KGB detention center. Now there are 10 journalists  behind bars in Belarus.