A Belarusian court today sentenced a journalist to eight years in prison on charges of treason, imposing a new sentence on top of the one she was already serving for organizing mass riots, the human rights group Vesna-96 said.
The 28-year-old journalist of the Polish Belsat TV, Kateryna Andrejeva, was arrested while reporting on the mass protests in Minsk in 2020 and sentenced to two years in prison for organizing mass riots, a charge she denied.
Belarusian investigators filed a new case against her in the spring while she was still in prison, accusing her of treason. Authorities have not released details of the case and the trial was held behind closed doors.
Phone calls made to the court after the verdict went unanswered.
Belsat, which is a Polish broadcaster that focuses on news related to Belarus that Minsk has labeled as extremist, today confirmed its conviction.
The state-run BelTa news agency, citing the court, reported that Andreyeva was found guilty of handing over state secrets.
The journalist was declared a political prisoner by the human rights group Vesna-96 after her first conviction. The group estimates that there are approximately 1,300 political prisoners in Belarus. Many of them were arrested during the wave of protests against President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994.
Source: AMPE
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
