Belarusian journalist Anatol Sanatsenka served a 15-day administrative arrest after being convicted on charges of distributing “extremist” content. He was detained March 28, 2025, sentenced March 31, and released in April.
Sanatsenka is the former editor-in-chief of the now-shuttered Babrujski Kurier independent news site. He was detained after police searched his home in the eastern city of Babruysk. A court in Babruysk sentenced Sanatsenka to 15 days of administrative arrest on accusations of distributing “extremist” content. That same day, authorities searched the home of Sanatsenka’s nephew, Vital Sanatsenka, the former owner of Babrujski Kurier.
A Belarusian Association of Journalists representative told CPJ, on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, that Sanatsenka’s detention was “most likely” connected to his journalism.
Authorities previously held Sanatsenka for 30 days under similar charges in 2022. Babrujski Kurier’s website was blocked and labeled “extremist” in September 2022.
In April 2025, CPJ emailed the Belarusian Investigative Committee, the country’s law enforcement agency, for comment but did not receive a response.