April 2, Pozirk. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) expressed its concerns about authorities’ failure to release former BelaPAN CEO Dźmitryj Navažyłaŭ, despite his name appearing on a leaked list of the pardoned dissidents published on March 19.
Belarusian prison authorities are refusing to provide any information Navažyłaŭ, the RSF noted, calling for his immediate release.
On March 19, Alaksandar Łukašenka ordered the release of 250 designated political prisoners following his talks with John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus. As many as 235 were allowed to stay in Belarus, while 15 were taken to Lithuania.
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 24 media workers, including Navažyłaŭ and Alaksandraŭ, remain behind bars in Belarus.
