Belarusian court sentences journalist Siarhei Chabotska to 3 ½ years in prison
New York, October 31, 2025—Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Siarhei Chabotska, and stop jailing journalists for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. A Belarusian court convicted Chabotska on charges of creating or participating in an “extremist” group and defaming the president of Belarus, and sentenced him to three years and six months imprisonment on October…
Belarusian journalist facing up to 15 years in prison on treason charges
New York, October 21, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Belarusian authorities to drop all charges against journalist Pavel Dabravolski, who was detained January 22, and faces up to 15 years in prison on “treason” charges, according to a October 18 report by the independent news outlet Pozirk. Dabravolski’s detention was first made public August 26 by Belarus-based human…
Belarus uses ‘extremism’ charges to jail a journalist for 4 years, detain another
New York, September 17, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns Tuesday’s sentencing of Belarusian journalist Ihar Ilyash to four years in jail and a fine of 4,200 rubles (US$1,240) on charges of promoting “extremist” activities and “discrediting” Belarus. Separately, on September 13, the independent news website Pozirk reported that journalist Kiryl Pazniak had been detained in early September on suspicion of involvement with a…
Belarus frees at least 8 journalists unjustly detained for years
New York, September 11, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of at least eight Belarusian journalists, who were among 52 political prisoners freed on Thursday as the United States announced it was lifting sanctions on Belarus’ national airline. “CPJ celebrates that at least eight Belarusian journalists can finally return to their families after being freed from prison. They…
Belarusian court sentences journalist Aleh Supruniuk to 3 years in prison
New York, August 26, 2025—A Belarusian court convicted freelance journalist Aleh Supruniuk on charges of participating in an “extremist” group” and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on August 8. His sentencing was made public August 25 by the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an advocacy and trade group operating from exile. “The sentencing of journalist Aleh Supruniuk to three years in…
Russia and Belarus release 2 journalists who had been detained for years
Paris, June 23, 2025—The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the release of Ukrainian journalist Vladyslav Yesypenko and Belarusian journalist Ihar Karnei, who had been unjustly detained for years by Russia and Belarus, respectively. Russia freed Yesypenko on June 20 after he served a five-year prison sentence on charges of possessing and transporting explosives, which he denied. Karnei, detained for nearly two…
Belarus opens criminal cases against more than 60 journalists in exile
Documentary filmmaker Maryia Bulavinskaya’s love of history led her to buy a traditional wood home in the Belarusian village of Rogi-Iletsky in 2019. Her plans to renovate and eventually live in the house were put on hold in 2020 when she fled the country out of fear of being detained for her coverage of anti-government…
Belarusian journalist Anatol Sanatsenka sentenced to 15 days administrative detention
New York, April 2, 2025— Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Anatol Sanatsenka, who was sentenced to 15 days of administrative detention on March 31 on accusations of distributing “extremist” content, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday. “Belarusian authorities continue to target members of the press in a reign of terror that has plagued the country…
Belarusian journalist Palina Pitkevich’s extremism trial set to open
New York, February 27, 2025— Belarusian authorities should immediately release Belarusian journalist Palina Pitkevich, whose trial on charges of participating in an extremist organization is set to start on March 7, and stop jailing the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. “Palina Pitkevich’s detention is yet another grim reminder that…
VPNs, training, and mental health workshops: How CPJ helped journalist safety in 2024
Haitian journalist Jean Marc Jean was covering an anti-government protest in Port-au-Prince in February 2024 when he was struck in the face by a gas canister fired by police into the crowd. One of at least five journalists injured while covering civil unrest in the country that month, Jean arrived at the hospital with a…