September 25, Pozirk. Today marks the 1,500th day of imprisonment for Dźmitry Navažyłaŭ, former CEO of Belarus’ independent media company BelaPAN.
The journalist is serving a six-year sentence at Penal Colony No. 3 in the village of Vićba, Viciebsk region. He turned 53 on August 12. The human rights community recognizes Navažyłaŭ as a political prisoner.
Min Li Marti, a member of the Swiss National Council, is his symbolic godmother. The parliamentarian is also active in journalism, sociology, history and film production.
Navažyłaŭ headed BelaPAN from August 2018, following the death of founder Aleś Lipaj, until January 2021. He was arrested on August 18, 2021, together with Iryna Leŭšyna, the editor-in-chief who succeeded him as CEO.
On October 6, 2022, the Minsk Regional Court sentenced Navažyłaŭ, Leŭšyna, former deputy CEO Andrej Alaksandraŭ, and his wife, Iryna Złobina to various prison terms. Navažyłaŭ was convicted of tax evasion and of forming an extremist group.
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, at least 29 media workers remain behind bars in Belarus.
