Belarusian Journalists Sentenced to Prison in Crackdown on Dissent

Belarusian Journalists Sentenced to Prison in Closed-Door Trial

Two Belarusian journalists, Ales Sabaleuski and Yauhen Hlushkou, have been sentenced to prison in a closed-door trial. The reporters worked for news outlets that the government of President Alexander Lukashenko has declared extremist.

This latest crackdown on dissent and independent journalism comes amidst a broader campaign of repression that began following the disputed 2020 presidential election. The election, which gave Lukashenko a sixth term in office, sparked widespread protests and a harsh government response.

Since then, over 35,000 people have been arrested, prominent opposition figures have fled the country, and many others have been sentenced to long prison terms. Viasna, a leading human rights group in Belarus, reports that there are currently nearly 1,400 political prisoners in the country.

Sabaleuski and Hlushkou were convicted of participating in foreign military actions, but further details about the charges remain unclear. They were sentenced to four and three years in prison, respectively, by a court in the city of Mogilev.

Both journalists worked with Belarusian media outlets that have been banned as extremist but continue to operate from abroad. Their sentencing is another blow to independent journalism in Belarus, which has been under increasing pressure from the government.