On the International Day of Solidarity of Journalists, 34 representatives of the Belarusian media are behind bars

On September 8, the world celebrates the International Day of Solidarity of Journalists. This date was established in 1958 by the International Organization of Journalists. It was on this day, September 8, 1943, that the Czech journalist Julius Fučik who behind bars wrote his famous book Notes from the Gallows, was executed in Nazi Germany.

This day is extremely relevant for Belarus, where, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 34 media representatives — journalists, reporters, bloggers — are currently behind bars. During this time, famous journalists Yahor Martsinovich, Andrei Skurko, Aleh Hruzdzilovich, Aliaksandr Ivulin, Henadz Mazheika, and many others were released, having fully served their sentences for their professional activities.

In Belarus, since 2020, the authorities have revoked the registrations of most non-state media and journalists have been constantly detained and sentenced to long terms for their work. Independent media in Belarus have practically ceased to exist, and editorial offices are now working from abroad. Most of the web-sites and social media pages are recognized as extremist groups. The regime is also cracking down on journalists: all imprisoned media representatives are included in the list of "persons involved in extremist activities", and six of them are recognized by the KGB as "terrorists".

Persecution of representatives of independent media is not ignored by international organizations and colleagues from other countries. Thus, the Lithuanian Union of Journalists annually awards the Lithuanian prize the Hope of Freedom to Belarusian journalists. In 2020, it awarded Katsiaryna Barysevich, Alena Talkachova, Tatsiana Karavenkava, Katsiaryna Andreyeva, and Darya Chultsova; in 2021, Andrei Aliaksandrau; in 2022, Aleh Hruzdzilovich, and in 2023 during the Free Journalism Forum in the Seimas of Lithuania, Yahor Martsinovich received it.

Homieĺ journalist Larysa Shchyrakova, who is now behind bars in Belarus, is among the winners of the Free Media Awards for 2024 for her "valiant and independent actions in Belarus." The award ceremony will take place on September 17, 2024 at the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

Participants of the solidarity action with Belarusian journalists on May 3, 2024.

Participants of the Congress of the European Federation of Journalists, leaders and representatives of journalistic unions and associations of the region recently took part in a solidarity action with media representatives in Belarusian prisons and Ukrainian journalists in Russian captivity. The action was proposed by the Belarusian Association of Journalists and supported by the participants of the congress. Dozens of leaders and media representatives from different countries stood with portraits of their Belarusian and Ukrainian colleagues in solidarity with them.

The solidarity actions in support of the journalists behind bars were supported by participants of the EFJ Congress in Pristina. Kosovo, May 24, 2024 Photo: Belarusian Association of Journalists

In his speech at the 33rd Economic Forum on September 3, Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Andrei Bastunets stressed that the situation with freedom of speech in Belarus looks much worse, since the government has not changed for 30 years. He told the audience about the general state of Belarusian independent journalism, and also spoke about the impact of the global human rights crisis on the media, when human rights are increasingly sacrificed to the interests of national security.