Belarusian Journalists Convicted Amid Crackdown on Dissent

A Belarusian court has sentenced two journalists to lengthy prison terms on high treason charges as part of the government’s intensifying crackdown on dissent and free speech. Uladzimir Yanukevich, founder of the Intex-Press and BAR24 media outlets, received a 14-year sentence, while his colleague Andrei Pakalenka was given 12 years.

The Belarusian authorities conducted the trial privately, and specific charges remain undisclosed. State media suggested ties between the journalists and the German Embassy. Andrei Bastunets, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, condemned these sentences, highlighting the ongoing repression against journalists in Europe.

President Alexander Lukashenko, in power for over 30 years, continues to suppress any opposition, resulting in 28 journalists jailed. Following contested elections in 2020, Belarus has witnessed widespread protests and numerous arrests, with accusations of extremism used to silence media voices.