{"id":115085,"date":"2024-11-22T17:50:51","date_gmt":"2024-11-22T14:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/115085\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:40:57","slug":"journalist-ihar-iljas-declared-political-prisoner","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/115085\/","title":{"rendered":"Journalist Ihar Ilja\u0161 declared political prisoner"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (from Ihar Ilja\u0161's social media)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

November 22, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Belarusian human rights organizations have declared journalist Ihar Ilja\u0161, who was arrested a month ago, to be a political prisoner, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a joint statement, the human rights activists noted that his detention and criminal prosecution were “a continuation of the authorities’ targeted policy of limiting the dissemination of uncensored information in the country and also a continuation of the attack on freedom of speech.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The activists concluded that the real reason for Ilja\u0161’s criminal prosecution were political motives aimed at ending or changing the nature of his legitimate public activities, as he exercised his freedom of expression.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They demanded that the authorities immediately release and stop the criminal prosecution of the journalist, refrain from using such methods to stifle freedom of expression and other rights and freedoms, stop reprisals and release all political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to BAJ, the statement was signed by the Viasna Human Rights Center, Belarusian PEN, Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Pravavaja Inicyjatyva, and Lawtrend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In late October, the BAJ reported that investigators transferred Ilja\u0161 to a pretrial detention center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The husband of imprisoned journalist Kaciaryna Andrejeva was arrested on October 21 over interviews for media labeled by the government extremist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security forces released a video of Ilja\u0161 saying that he had worked for Polish-based Belsat TV until July 2021, and later became a freelance reporter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In July 2021, Ilja\u0161 had been arrested for 10 days for alleged violent disorder, but the charge was dropped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His wife and her colleague Belsat TV journalist Daryja \u010culcova were arrested in Minsk on November 15, 2020 while covering an opposition protest and sentenced to prison for alleged violent disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrejeva was later charged with high treason and given eight years in prison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian government has equated journalism with extremism and prosecutes individuals for giving interviews to independent media outlets labeled \u201cextremist\u201d groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those serving prison sentences in connection with interviews include historian Ihar Mielnika\u016d, academic Natalla Dulina and military expert Jahor Lebiadok.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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