Supreme Court upholds four-year sentence for journalist Iljaš

November 14, Pozirk. Belarus’ Supreme Court has upheld a four-year prison sentence for journalist Ihar Iljaš, convicted in September of discrediting Belarus and facilitating extremism, Siarhiej Vahanaŭ, the granddad of Iljaš’s imprisoned wife said on Facebook.

Iljaš had pleaded not guilty to the charges at his trial that concluded on September 16.

Iljaš was arrested in late October 2024 for giving interviews to media outlets that the authorities have labeled as extremist. Human rights organizations recognized him and his wife, journalist Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvałava), as political prisoners. In recent years, the Belarusian government has increasingly equated independent journalism with extremism, prosecuting individuals for interviews to non-state media.

Journalist Iljaš given four years in prison for allegedly discrediting Belarus in his articles