March 13, Pozirk. The Minsk City Court adjourned the hearing of a criminal case against journalist Ihar Iljaš—accused of discrediting Belarus and facilitating extremism—pending expert examination of his analysis articles, journalist Siarhiej Vahanaŭ said on Facebook.
Vahanaŭ is the grandfather of Iljaš’s wife Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvałava) who is serving a lengthy prison term. Her persecution is widely seen as politically motivated.
The judge reportedly rejected Iljaš’s request for an examination by a state forensic examination agency, referring the task to philology professor Siarhiej Lebiadzinski of Belarusian State University.
Iljaš feels well both physically and mentally, reads a lot and thoroughly prepares for court hearings, Vahanaŭ said.
“The only thing that saddens him is that he cannot correspond directly with Kacia [his wife] held at Homiel’s Penal Colony No 4 for the fifth year,” he noted. A letter to her was returned even though there is no official ban on correspondence between prisoners, Vahanaŭ added.
Vahanaŭ’s post is a rare opportunity to follow the trial because in the repressive environment there are no independent journalists or human rights defenders left in the country who could attend it without the risk of being arrested. Although the trial is open to the public, police usually only let close relatives into the court room.
Iljaš was arrested in late October 2024 over interviews for media labeled by the government as extremist groups.
Rights groups consider both Andrejeva and Iljaš to be political prisoners.
The Belarusian government has equated journalism with extremism and prosecutes individuals for giving interviews to independent media outlets.
Also read: Journalist Iljaš on trial in Minsk
