Women Journalists in Belarus — On The Frontline at Protests and in Prisons
Belarus has always been a challenging country when it comes to press freedom as the massive crackdown against critical voices became more intense after last year’s election. The challenges have multiplied for women journalists especially as the environment is becoming more repressive with every single day.
Photo Credit: AFP
More than five hundred journalists are said to have faced detention since last year. According to data documented by The Coalition For Women In Journalism, 77 women journalists faced different sorts of harassment, detention and imprisonments in the year 2020. This year, in 2021— between January and May alone— we added 24 cases of violations, 13 of which were recorded in May alone. The number of incidents against women journalists continues to increase everyday.
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the imprisoned journalists have collectively spent more than 1200 days in prison. It has also been reported that the state-owned publishing house refused to complete the print orders for five newspapers. A major crackdown was executed at the Tut.By news offices. The news outlet was raided and equipment was confiscated, in addition to reports of several arrests. The web portal and social media accounts affiliated to the organization were also blocked. The harsh and threatening response towards journalists and news media has resulted in a five-point decline in the country's rating in the RSF Press Freedom Index. Belarus stands at 158 out of 180 countries. The country’s press freedom situation is deemed even worse than Russia’s.
Amidst the censorship and harassment tactics, women journalists are risking their lives to cover protests and report on the state’s atrocities from the frontlines. Many women journalists have been detained and silenced. In detentions, they suffer assaults at the hands of authorities. Some of the excruciating details of the tortures in these detention centers were also exposed by the women journalists. On May 24, Belarussian authorities called and threatened Arina Malinovskaya, a Belsat TV program host. Arina left the country, fearing possible persecution. Investigators called her through her brother-in-law's number on May 25 and told her that he, along with his friend, will remain in custody. Authorities threatened to take her grandparents in custody as well if she does not return to the country. On May 14, Liubou Kaspiarovich, a Tut.By reporter was taken into custody by law enforcement and sentenced to 15 days in prison. She was detained with several other journalists for covering a student protest that was an unauthorized event. On May 28, the police forcefully detained Narodnaya Volya and Hlafira Zhuk and sentenced them to 30 days in prison.
CFWIJ documented the release of Tut.By correspondent Katsiaryna Barysevish. The staff reporter was finally released from the Belarusian detention center on May 19 after serving her sentence. Katsiaryna was taken into police custody for violating medical confidentiality in her investigation into a murdered activist. The day Katsiaryna was released, the Tut.By offices were raided and many staffers were reportedly detained by the authorities. Their equipment was confiscated and social media accounts were blocked.
Only a few days before the raid at Tut.By offices, their staff reporter Lyubov Kasperovich was detained by the authorities and later sentenced to fifteen days in prison for her coverage of a mass demonstration in Minsk. The journalist was detained on May 14 while she was covering the trial of 12 young opposition supporters. In the same manner, photojournalist Tatsyana Kapitonava was detained for covering an unauthorized event on May 13. Police arrested her while she was recording at the event. According to the eyewitnesses, police intentionally came to arrest her. There was a massive crackdown reported against journalists and civilians as they were organizing a protest rally against President Alexander Lukashenko. It was reported that most of the arrested journalists were women.
Given the deteriorating situation of the country, CFWIJ has been monitoring the unfolding events threatening press freedom in the country. We have signed a joint statement with the international organizations calling on EU agencies to apply their restrictions and sanctions on Belarus. The platform has designed an in-focus page containing important information and documented statements of a number of women journalists. The page was created to appreciate the dedication of women journalists of Belarus who, despite the dangers, continue reporting. Through our Twitter thread and statements we share information about journalists reporting on the ground. You can find recorded first-hand stories of women journalists covering the unrest on our InstaLive page.
On April 2, Belarusian parliament proposed another bill to further legalize their abuse of power. The bill includes amendments to the mass media law and mass gatherings law. If the bill is passed, it will further diminish the press freedom in the country and restrict working journalists. The act includes conditions like expanding legal restrictions on news outlets and enhanced authoritative power to refuse media accreditation or shut them down completely. The recommendations will further restrict women journalists from reporting on mass events in the country.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism registered the case of the deputy chairman of Belarusian PEN center, Tatsiana Niadbai, who was interrogated by an investigation committee on March 3. The interrogation was linked to a raid on the Press Club that was carried out on December 22, 2020. The homes of several Press Club employees were also raided. Tatsiana worked as a coordinator at the Press Club until 2017. Given that she was forced to sign a non-disclosure form, the journalist could not reveal details after her interrogation. Darya Chultsova and Katsyaryna Andreyeva, were both arrested in November 2020 for covering a protest commemorating the murdered activist Raman Bandarenka. The journalists were live-streaming the police torture witnessed at the rally. Both Darya and Katsyaryna were sentenced to two years in prison on February 18 for their reportage of state oppression.
CFWIJ also documented the arrest of Alina Skrabunova, a Belsat TV correspondent who was arrested for reporting on an opposition rally. Alina was released the same day with a fine of 1,350 Belarusian rubles. A former journalist, Ksenia Lutskina was harassed by authorities over tax evasion charges. She was detained on December 22, 2020, at a shopping center. The authorities raided her house and confiscated her. On January 17, CFWIJ reported the case of Tatsiana Bublikawa, a BelaPAN reporter who suffered police mistreatment after a raid on her office in Minsk. The police mishandling induced a panic attack and the journalist ended up needing medical treatment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism reached out to the Belarusian Journalists Association (BAJ) to learn the latest updates. The deputy chairperson of BAJ, Barys Haretski, shared, “Pressure on the media in Belarus has been skyrocketing since last summer. This year we have faced an unprecedented level of repression against journalists. In less than a year we’ve seen over 550 detentions of journalists, more than 70 cases of violence against journalists, and 34 media representatives are being held behind bars at the moment. Half of the journalists in custody are women, some of them report declining health. Many print outlets have been effectively destroyed by the authorities, with more than 50 media websites remaining blocked. Last year’s widespread detentions and administrative arrests of journalists were mainly replaced by arrests on criminal charges, where journalists face up to 7 years in prison. This is a major crackdown on independent media and brutal suppression of free speech.”
According to the latest reports around the proposed legislature, CFWIJ believes the bill will cause significant challenges to working journalists in Belarus in a deteriorating media landscape. These suggested amendments will prohibit professional journalists from reporting freely on government matters. As mentioned in the bill, the law would also deny journalists from live-streaming unauthorized mass events. The police will be granted more power to stop filming and/or photography at the protests. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands the Belarusian parliament reject the gratuitous demands proposed in the bill to safeguard press freedom in the country. We demand the Belarusian government release all women journalists that are being wrongfully detained.
If you would like to request more insight into our findings, or would like to suggest an addition to our work reach out to us at data@womeninjournalism.org. For media inquiries reach out to us at press@womeninjournalism.org.