Media workers given nearly 90 years in prison in 2023 – BAJ

December 28, Pozirk. Belarusian media workers have been sentenced to a total of 89.5 years in prison in 2023, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported.

This year, authorities arrested 46 journalists, issued 34 search orders, passed 16 jail sentences and blacklisted 33 reporters as extremists, while 12 were branded as persons “involved in terrorist activities.”

Media manager Andrej Alaksandraŭ, investigative journalist Dzianis Ivašyn, Radyjo Svaboda‘s freelancer Ihar Łosik, Tut.by editor in chief Maryna Zołatava and her colleague Ludmiła Čekina are serving lengthy prison terms ranging from 12 to 15 years on politically-motivated charges, the BAJ said.

Currently, at least 32 media workers remain behind bars.