Imprisoned journalist’s wife given two years in prison

January 19, BPN. The Brest Regional Court has sentenced Darja Łosik to two years in prison, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.

Judge Mikałaj Hryharovič convicted the woman of promoting extremism and punished her with the term requested by the prosecutor.

Authorities accused her of giving an interview to Belsat TV, a television channel declared extremist, “in which she positioned herself as a political prisoner’s wife.”

The Prosecutor General’s Office said that Łosik made negative remarks about state prosecution and justice offices by denying that her husband had committed crimes and claiming that he had been convicted illegally.

Darja Łosik, the wife of Ihar Łosik, a jailed RFE/RL contributor and administrator of the Belarus Golovnogo Mozga Telegram channel, was arrested in October 2022.

In December 2021, Ihar Łosik was sentenced to 15 years in prison for alleged incitement to hatred and mass riots. Human rights defenders say the Łosiks’ persecution is politically motivated.