CPJ demands immediate release of journalist sentenced on high treason charges
March 10, Pozirk. The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the March 6 sentencing of journalist Paviał Dabravolski to nine years in jail on treason charges, and calls on Belarusian authorities to release him immediately.
“The harsh prison sentence handed down to journalist Pavel Dabravolski, the latest in a recent series of convictions of journalists in retaliation for independent reporting, shows that the media crackdown continues unabated in Belarus,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Authorities should immediately release Dabravolski, along with all imprisoned journalists.”
At least 26 journalists are currently behind bars in Belarus, according to the CPJ. At least six of them — Dabravolski, Dzianis Ivašyn, Kaciaryna Andrejeva, Andrej Alaksandraŭ, Uładzimir Janukievič, Andrej Pakalenka and Daniil Palanski are imprisoned on high treason charges, according to Pozirk.
After voting in a presidential election in Minsk on January 26, 2025, Alaksandar Łukašenka made it clear that he had ordered a crackdown on the media in revenge for criticism of the 2020 election and his handling of post-election protests.
“We don’t forgive [those who worked] in the media because they are public figures. It is difficult to forgive journalists, they are public figures,” he said.
Journalist Dabravolski given nine years in prison
- EconomyEU-blacklisted businessman says he wants no gifts from stateThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsHuman rights groups name 12 new political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB labels nine people as “terrorists”The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- Politics, Security
- Economy
- EconomyOmani envoy presents credentials to Belarusian foreign ministerThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsRights groups designate 13 people as former political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Security
- EconomyRetail trade up 8.7 percent in January-SeptemberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityNo attempts at irregular entry from Belarus into Poland since mid-SeptemberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus’ economy grows by 2 percent in nine monthsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus’ ideology workers define civil union as national security threatThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarusian envoy discusses cargo shipping with senior Turkish trade officialThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsNew reports of politically motivated persecution in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius Freedom Summit’s delegates urge Belarus to release all political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityLatvia records seven-week low in attempts at irregular entry from BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityCichanoŭskaja calls on Europe to unite against dictatorshipsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society

