BelaPAN’s jailed journalists blacklisted as extremists

January 20, BPN. The Ministry of Internal Affairs has added 39 people, including convicted BelaPAN journalists, to its list of “persons involved in extremist activity,” taking their total to 2,350 names.

In October 2022, judge Viačasłaŭ Tulejka of the Minsk Regional Court sentenced the media company’s CEO and editor in chief Iryna Leŭšyna to four years in prison. The previous CEO, Dźmitryj Navažyłaŭ, was given six years; former deputy CEO Andrej Alaksandraŭ, 14 years; his wife Iryna Złobina, nine years.

The judge also fined Navažyłaŭ 22,400 rubels (some $8,900), Złobina 25,600 rubels and Alaksandraŭ 32,000 rubels.

Authorities accused them of establishing an extremist group (Alaksandraŭ, Leŭšyna, Navažyłaŭ), treason (Alaksandraŭ, Złobina), tax evasion (Alaksandraŭ, Navažyłaŭ), and organization of actions grossly disturbing public order (Alaksandraŭ and Złobina). Human rights groups consider all four political prisoners.

On January 6, The Supreme Court upheld the long prison sentences.