15min condemns the actions of the Lukashenko regime against press freedom, joins other media

A Belarusian court on Thursday sentenced two Belsat TV journalists, Kaciaryna Bachvalava and Darja Chulcova, to two years in prison for allegedly protesting against de facto Belarusian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenko of the organization.

Bachvalava, 27, and Darya Chulcova, 23, were arrested in November while filming a demonstration to support the murdered activist Roman Bandarenka.

They were convicted of “organizing and holding protests in serious violation of public order.” The journalists did not admit their guilt, such a verdict is criticized by press freedom and human rights organizations.

News portal 15 minutes expresses a clear position on the actions of the Lukashenko regime against press freedom and the imprisonment of journalists.

“We condemn the harassment, intimidation and imprisonment of journalists and restrictions on the media and freedom of expression. We show solidarity with the media in Belarus and other regime-ruled countries and call on our responsible and foreign officials to react: this is a unique case in which journalists suffer in the course of their work, he says 15 minutes Managing Director Ramūnas Šaučikovas.

“We are currently preparing official letters for the country’s key institutions on the situation in Belarus; we cannot remain silent, we ask for clear positions to protect the most important constitutional right: freedom of expression, as well as the working conditions of journalists and of the media right to publish information “.

Temporary boss 15 minutes Audrius Ožalas, Acting Editor: “What does it take to stifle a free voice? The power to contain people on the streets is not enough. The Lukashenko regime is well aware of the need to silence journalists who can publish objective and independent information. Without them, a democratic society is inconceivable. Lukashenko’s regime is trying to deal with any free media demonstrations in Belarus. We believe that the brave people of Belarus will not break this, but we know that we too must support our colleagues, so we will do everything in our power to draw attention to the destructive freedom of the press in Belarus. 15 minutes expresses its solidarity with Belarusian journalists. “

Portal Delfi.lt Editor-in-chief Rasa Lukaitytė-Vnarauskienė: “We show solidarity with the jailed journalists and all our colleagues persecuted so close to the Lithuanian borders. We condemn the imprisonment of journalists for the performance of their direct professional duties: to inform the public. We call on our country’s officials to take all possible measures to protect freedom of expression and journalists who work in countries controlled by the regime. “

News portal Tv3.lt Artūras Anužis, Editor-in-Chief: “As the people of Belarus fight for the independence of their country, we condemn the Lukashenko regime and its decision to imprison journalists who have done their work and informed the public in good faith. The independent media are a particularly important institution and one of the guarantors of freedom in liberation from the authoritarian regime, so we ask the responsible institutions of Lithuania and the EU to take all necessary measures so that journalists can make their work and feel safe. “

News agencies BNS Editor-in-chief Vaidotas Beniušis: “Our colleagues Kaciaryna and Darja found themselves behind bars because they did their job. The crime was not committed by them, the crime was committed by the regime that imprisoned them. The Belarusian regime is trying to intimidate journalists, but it is not showing its strength but its weakness. We stand in solidarity with the free media in Belarus. “

Portal LRT.lt Editor-in-Chief Mindaugas Jackevičius: “Brutal attacks on journalists have long been the face of a bloody regime. The dictator’s dealings with active journalists deserve a clear and strong reaction from the democratic world. “

Portal Lrytas.lt Editor-in-Chief Tautvydas Mikalajūnas: “There is no excuse for such actions. We publicly express our support for journalists with whom the Belarusian regime has dealt unscrupulously. Freedom of expression and of the media is a key element of democracy, and we must do everything possible to defend and promote it in countries where, unfortunately, that value continues to be trampled and destroyed. “

News agencies ELTA Ben Brunal, editor of the Political Department: “A state that respects itself cannot tolerate, much less try to silence journalists in the performance of their duties. The fact that these things are happening today on the border of the European Union shows that the Belarusian regime is still alive in the 20th century. in the tradition formed by totalitarian states. We stand in solidarity and support civil society fighting for freedom in Belarus. ”

Persecuted journalists

Belarus is ranked 153rd out of 180 in the Reporters Without Borders index of press freedom. The organization’s 2020 report says that the country’s critical journalists and bloggers are being threatened, detained and blocked from major independent media.

The state controls all television channels. Several existing independent media outlets operate from abroad, but are still persecuted by the regime, most notably the Polish-based Belsat television run by Bachvalava and D. Chulcova.

After the announcement in August last year that the autocrat Aliaksandr Lukashenko had been re-elected as President of Belarus by a large majority, thousands of Belarusians took to the streets. The protesters were forcibly pursued, mass detained and tortured in solitary confinement.

The media were also affected. In August, the officer intentionally shot Natalia Lubnevskaya, a journalist for the Nasha Niva newspaper, with a rubber bullet.

According to the Union of Journalists of Belarus, in 2020 there were 477 cases of arrests of media workers in the country. It was tested last fall on one of the biggest news portals. tut.by deprive the media of their status.

Blogger Iharis Losik, who was arrested in June and faces eight years in prison, continued his hunger strike for 42 days, which was interrupted by a huge “wave of solidarity”, as he called it.

As the protests continue for half a year, the scale of the repression in Belarus is intensifying. As early as Tuesday, raids were carried out on the homes of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, media workers and human rights activists across the country.

According to the Viasna Center for Human Rights Defenders, there are currently 255 political prisoners in the country.