News

February 9 Frunzenski court of Minsk will begin to hear the criminal case against Belsat journalists Katsiaryna Andreyeva (Bakhvalava) and Daria Chultsova.

Andrei Aliaksandrau was detained in a criminal case, started by Minsk city department of the Investigative Committee,  said Aliaksandrau's lawyer. Andrei Alexandrov is a suspect under Art. 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus "Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them."

The probe into Katsyaryna Andreyeva’s case might have been completed, her husband, investigative journalist Ihar Ilyash, surmised after reading the latest letter from the wife. As Andreyeva’s defence lawyers had to sign gag orders, they have no right to inform anyone (even her relatives) about the course and details of the investigation. However, in the letter Ilyash received on Ianuary 9, the imprisoned journalist wrote that she was awaiting the transfer to Minsk. “As it follows from the context of the letter, she talks about transporting her to court. It is quite logical: Katsyaryna was put in Zhodzina [remand prison] for the time of the investigation. As she has grounds to count on being transferred to Minsk, it means that the investigation has been over and one might expecte that she will be tried soon,” Ihar Ilyash said. However, it has not been reported officially whether and when the transfer and the trial will take place. “I don’t even make any projections for the future. I am ready for anything. It is pretty hard to surprise me now,” Katsyaryna Andreyeva says in her letter.

Founder of the Press Club Belarus Yulia Slutskaya has been charged under Part 2 of Article 243 - evasion of taxes or duties on an especially large scale.  Its director Siarhei Alsheuski is charged under Part 6 of Article 16 (complicity ) of a crime under part 2 of Article 243, BelaPAN reports refering to his attorney Anton Hashynski. 

For over five years, Press Club Belarus, an Associate Member of the International Association of Press Clubs (IAPC) since 2016, has contributed to the Belarusian media community's development, promoted journalistic standards, and acted as a discussion platform. We have organised dozens of lectures and masterclasses with world-renowned experts and facilitated numerous initiatives to develop quality journalism in Belarus.

Five Press Club representatives whose homes were searched on Tuesday are now behind bars.