{"id":177802,"date":"2026-03-02T21:33:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-02T18:33:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/177802\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"rights-groups-designate-jailed-media-managers-from-baranavicy-as-political-prisoners","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/177802\/","title":{"rendered":"Rights groups designate jailed media managers from Baranavi\u010dy as political prisoners"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

March 2, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>Media managers U\u0142adzimir Janukievi\u010d and Andrej Pakalenka, sentenced to 14 and 12 years in prison on high treason last week, have been declared political prisoners, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The journalists were associated with the bar24.by <\/em>and Intex Press <\/em>media in Baranavi\u010dy, Brest region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Criminal charges and imprisonment for exercising freedom of expression serve as mechanisms to curb the spread of uncensored information and to stifle public and political activity, including dissent, rights defenders said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The persecution of Janukievi\u010d and Pakalenka represents a continuation of pressure on Intex Press<\/em> and bar24.by<\/em>, reflecting a broader crackdown on independent Belarusian media and journalists, they noted, calling for the immediate release of both journalists and an end to politically-motivated reprisals. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The BAJ, Belarusian PEN, the Viasna Human Rights Center, Human Constanta, Pravavaja Inicijatyva and Lawtrend signed the statement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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