Belarus: 5 Women Journalists Arrested Over Coverage of Explosion

The Coalition For Women In Journalism vehemently condemns the detentions of Maryna Bychkovskaya, Alena Kisialiova, Krystsina Kazialkova, Hanna Zhurskaya, and Elizaveta Shavielenka

Location: Belarus, Svetlogorsk
Date: June 9, 2023

Belarus authorities continue their oppression of journalists by detaining nine employees of local Svetlogorsk media outlet Ranak TV, including Maryna Bychkovskaya, Alena Kisialiova, Krystsina Kazialkova, Hanna Zhurskaya, and Elizaveta Shavielenka. The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands the state stops detaining and harassing independent media workers for doing their jobs. 

The prosecutor charged the Ranak journalists with administrative offenses for broadcasting "extremist" content. Boris Haretsky, the Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, believes the charges are linked to Ranak’s coverage of an explosion at the Svetlogorsk pulp and paper mill, which the authorities would prefer to keep under wraps. He described the recent detentions as "another case of persecution of the media."

The women employees were detained in various locations after working hours, Zhurskaya, who is pregnant, was released before the trial. Shavialenka was also released before trial due to disability.

The court sentenced the male journalists to seven days of administrative detention while the women were fined.

Local news site reports deadly explosion

An explosion of a "gas-air mixture" at Svetlogorsk Central Control Commission on June 7 resulted in the deaths of three workers. Local media outlet Ranak was among the earliest sources to break the news of the blast before the government released any official updates.

Belarussian media commentators praised Ranak’s coverage of the event, which included content sourced from citizens and reports from journalists on the ground.

Media IQ analyst Pavlyuk Bykovsky says that Belarusian authorities have always been uncomfortable with collecting and disseminating independent information. The detention of the journalists appears to be related to the state’s desire to control the narrative surrounding the tragic incident.

Administrative charges leveled at journalists

Belarussian authorities have persistently targeted journalists and independent media with administrative offenses. 

The Ministry of Information has created a list of sources it deems “extremist” and has repeatedly punished journalists and citizens for liking, commenting, and reposting their content on social media. Most of these cases are related to the distribution of "extremist materials'' via Telegram. 

Despite "extremist materials" being found on government websites, no penalties have been enforced on government officials or employees of state media. The practice of applying this article is inconsistent.

Oppression of journalists in Belarus

Press freedom has always been a challenge in Belarus, with critical voices facing a massive crackdown that intensified after the 2020 presidential election. 

Journalists Maryna Zolatava and Lyudmila Chekina were sentenced to 12 years in prison each in March 2023, following a trial to destroy TUT.by, one of Belarus' most prominent media outlets. Meanwhile, Katsiaryna Andreyeva, who filmed an anti-Lukashenko protest in November 2020, was sentenced to ten years and three months in prison, and her colleague Ksenia Lutskina is serving an eight-year sentence.

Seventeen women journalists are currently imprisoned in the country.  

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is continuously appalled by the oppressive treatment of journalists and media workers in Belarus. The Lukashenko-led government has enacted anti-press laws and continues to arbitrarily detain and imprison journalists for doing their jobs. 

The goal is to silence all descent within the country and to control all narratives. The detention of the Ranak journalists signals that even while covering a local news story not political in nature and gathering facts on the ground, journalists in Belarus are not safe from government persecution.

We condemn the actions of the Belarus security services GUBOPiK and demand that harassment and intimidation of journalists stop immediately.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.

If you have been harassed or abused in any way, and please report the incident by using the following form.