Supreme Court to hear jailed investigative reporter’s appeal

December 15, BPN. The Belarusian Supreme Court will hear investigative journalist Dzianis Ivašyn’s appeal on December 20, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported, quoting his relatives.

Ivašyn is in a good physical and psychological state, Viasna said. He receives letters from his wife and parents, albeit with significant delays.

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 State Security (KGB) claimed that he worked for Ukraine’s secret services and caused damage to Belarus’ national security.

Judge Valeryj Ramanoŭski of the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced him to 13 years and 1 month in prison at a closed-door session on September 14.

Belarus has at least 32 imprisoned reporters, says the Belarusian Association of Journalists.