Treason

New York, March 9, 2026 — The Committee to Protect Journalists strongly condemns the March 6 sentencing of Belarusian journalist Pavel Dabravolski to nine years in jail on treason charges, and calls on Belarusian authorities to release him immediately.   Dabravolski’s trial, held behind closed doors, started in Minsk, the capital, on February 27. The charges under Article 356, Part 1 of…

New York, March 3, 2026—Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalists Uladzimir Yanukevich and Andrei Pakalenka, and stop jailing journalists for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday. On February 26, a court in the southwestern city of Brest convicted 66-year-old Yanukevich and 44-year-old Pakalenka on treason charges, and sentenced them to 14 and…

New York, September 20, 2024 – The Committee to Protect Journalist calls on Azerbaijani authorities to immediately release researcher and freelance journalist Bahruz Samadov, detained since August 21 on treason charges. “As Azerbaijan’s crackdown widens to envelop ever more journalists, activists, and academics, Bahruz Samadov’s penetrating critiques of Azerbaijani authoritarianism and militarism amid the ongoing…

Guatemala City, May 22, 2023—Nicaraguan authorities should drop their criminal investigation into journalist Victor Ticay and release him immediately, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday. On May 19, prosecutors accused Ticay, a correspondent for the Nicaraguan TV station Canal 10, of treason and false news, according to multiple news reports. He has been held…

Paris, October 6, 2022 – Belarusian authorities must immediately release Andrei Aliaksandrau, Dzmitry Navazhylau, and Iryna Leushyna, three former and current employees of independent Belarusian news agency BelaPAN who were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 to 14 years on various charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday. All three have denied the charges, and Leushyna and…

Paris, September 14, 2022 – In response to multiple news reports that a court in Belarus on Wednesday convicted and sentenced Dzianis Ivashyn to 13 years and one month in prison for treason and interfering with law enforcement, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the court ruling: “CPJ is deeply shocked…

Paris, September 5, 2022 — In response to a Russian court’s sentencing on Monday of journalist Ivan Safronov to 22 years in prison on trumped-up charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement strongly condemning the decision: “The 22-year prison sentence for Ivan Safronov, guilty of no other crime than doing his job…

Paris, July 13, 2022 — In response to a Belarusian court’s conviction Wednesday of journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva on treason charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement condemning the decision. “By convicting journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva on ludicrous treason charges only a few months before the end of her first prison term, Belarusian authorities…

Paris, April 8, 2022 – Belarusian authorities should drop the treason charges against journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva, release her immediately, and stop charging and imprisoning members of the press over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. “By charging imprisoned journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva with treason, Belarusian authorities show how far they are willing to…

New York, July 7, 2021 – Belarusian authorities should immediately release journalist Andrei Aliaksandrau, drop all charges against him, and ensure that journalists can work freely and without fear, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On June 30, authorities charged Aliaksandrau, founder and chief editor of the news website Belaruski Zhurnal, with treason, according…