{"id":123120,"date":"2025-01-24T11:43:27","date_gmt":"2025-01-24T08:43:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/123120\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"rsf-files-icc-complaint-for-lukasenkas-crackdown-on-journalists","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/123120\/","title":{"rendered":"RSF files ICC complaint for \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s crackdown on journalists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (rsf.org)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

January 24, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has filed a complaint with the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity committed by Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka against Belarusian journalists, its statement says<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement comes days ahead of the main voting day in Belarus\u2019 seventh presidential election on January 26, where \u0141uka\u0161enka, in power since 1994, wants to secure another term in office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe electoral farce will likely proceed without a hitch, free from the counterweight of independent media, ensuring \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s victory over four puppet candidates,” Jeanne Cavelier, head of RSF\u2019s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor five years, the Belarusian regime has systematically persecuted independent voices, starting with journalists,\u201d she added, referring to the politically-motivated reprisals ongoing since the disputed 2020 election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian ruler is responsible for an “unprecedented crackdown” on journalists and the free press, the group noted, citing about 590 cases of arbitrary arrests of journalists with at least 43 reporters held behind bars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imprisonment, persecution and forced displacement of Belarusian journalists for their professional activities may constitute crimes against humanity, it said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RSF called on the ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan to investigate and prosecute those responsible for systematic harassment of reporters and independent voices in Belarus to help combat “glaring impunity.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus is holding its seventh presidential election from January 21 to 26 in a purged political landscape amid a new wave of crackdown on regime critics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presidential bidders are \u0141uka\u0161enka, in power since 1994, his supporters Aleh Hajdukievi\u010d, Alaksandar Chi\u017eniak and Siarhiej Syranko\u016d. Another candidate is Hanna Kanapackaja, a former member of the United Civic Party and an MP from 2016 to 2019, who also ran for president in 2020. She positions herself as a \u201cdemocratic alternative,\u201d yet criticizes \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s exiled or jailed opponents rather than himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The previous 2020 presidential race was marred by fraud and police brutality against peaceful protesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Latvian parliament calls on world to resist regime legitimization<\/h3>\n
January 23, Pozirk. The so-called presidential elections in Belarus "have nothing in common with a free and fair electoral process, as they are characterized by the absence of internationally recognized observers, total suppression of the opposition, destruction of the independent …<\/div>\n \n