Reporter gets over 13 years in prison

September 14, BPN. Judge Valeryj Ramanoŭski of the Hrodna Regional Court has sentenced journalist Dzianis Ivašyn to 13 years and 1 month in prison at a closed-door session, the Viasna Human Rights Center reports.

The court ordered Ivašyn to pay a fine of 4,800 rubels (about $1,900), as well as 2,000 rubels in non-pecuniary damages to each of the nine undisclosed victims. Therefore, he is expected to pay a total of 22,800 rubels.

The reporter, declared a political prisoner by human rights activists, was prosecuted under criminal articles against meddling in police work and treason.

Ivašyn was a volunteer editor at Ukraine’s InfromNapalm. He also cooperated with Belarus’ independent weekly Novy Čas. He investigated Russian meddling in Belarus, construction at a Soviet-era massacre site, and the controversial recruitment of former Ukrainian riot police officers by Belarus.

He was arrested on March 12, 2021. Later that month, the Committee for the State Security (KGB) claimed that he worked for Ukraine’s special services and caused damage to Belarus’ national security.

The journalist went on trial on August 15, behind closed doors, as some details of his case supposedly amount to a state secret.

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 28 media workers remain behind bars.