Belarusian Association of Journalists says 2022 marked by continuing reprisals

December 28, BPN. The year 2022 was marked by continuing reprisals against media workers, Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) Deputy Chairman Barys Harecki has told BPN.

Nearly all independent media outlets have been forced to shut down and outlawed, he said.

In late December, 33 media workers were behind bars. That was a rise from 30 a year ago.

“The number of journalists behind bars has not dropped despite the fact that most independent editorial offices have left the country. Ten media workers were released in 2022, only to be replaced by new detainees,” Harecki said.

BAJ said that law enforcers have detained journalists more than 40 times since the beginning of 2022. They searched reporters 55 times, and placed 20 reporters in jail. Fines totaled at least 109,280 rubels (some $40,300 at the current exchange rate).

Many of the arrested journalists were given lengthy prison sentences, he said.

“The repressive apparatus does not stop. It demands new and new victims,” Harecki said. “When no-one in the country actively cooperates with independent media, law enforcers come to those who used to work there. Jaŭhien Mierkis, Łarysa Ščyrakova, Dźmitryj Siemčanka and Alaksandr Lubiančuk didn’t do journalism anymore, but became political prisoners.”

He went on to say that in spite of the relocation of many Belarusian newsrooms and journalists from Ukraine to the EU, the media sector is better off than at the end of 2021.

“There was serious confusion during and immediately after the relocation. New processes were being launched. But all these difficulties have been overcome. Media returned to good audience figures, presenting the whole range of genres again. The quality of their stories has improved,” he said.

Harecki said it was journalists’ awareness of their mission, keep circulating information no matter what happens, that helped them to endure.