Infa Kurjer articles labeled as extremist content

March 30, BPN. A district court in Minsk labeled six articles run by the Słuck-based newspaper Infa Kurjer as extremist content, the Viasna Human Rights Center reported on March 30.

The judge announced the decision on March 28. The blacklisted articles concern the 2020 post-election protests.

On March 30, authorities released Infa Kurjer editor in chief Siarhiej Stankievič and his deputy Aleh Rubčenia after they had spent 15 days in jail for allegedly disobeying police orders.

Both journalists were arrested in the morning of March 15 when police raided Infa Kurjer‘s office in Słuck, Minsk region. Police also briefly detained two other staff members.

Stankievič and Rubčenia were tried at the Słuck police department in the presence of a lawyer. They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Infa Kurjer‘s website was updated after the raid, and an issue of the weekly came out on March 16. Its website said the new issue was available at the state-run distribution chain Biełsajuzdruk despite earlier reports that it was banned for sale.

On March 15, police also arrested Alaksandr Mancevič, editor in chief of Rehijanalnaja Hazieta, another local newspaper based in the Minsk region. He is currently in custody and faces criminal charges.

At least 35 journalists remain behind bars in Belarus, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ).