Location: Belarus
Date: January 23, 2021

Alla Sharko, a human rights activist and program director of the Press Club of Belarus was arrested on December 22, 2020, along with her colleagues. Authorities searched the apartments of detainees and their offices at the Press Club. The office equipment including computers, phones, and bank cards was also confiscated.

Alla Shakrko was charged with tax evasion on December 31. A total fine of 40,000$ was imposed on the Press Club of Belarus and its arrested staffers including Alla. The families of detained journalists sold their properties in order to pay the fine as the average monthly salary was just 500$. CFWIJ has been closely observing the restrictions on freedom of the press after the latest presidential elections in May 2020. Journalists are facing state repression mainly for reporting on protests that erupted after the 2020 elections. We demand Belarusian state authorities to immediately release Alla and other imprisoned journalists and end this unjustified torture against them.

All four detainees, including Alla, are living in inhuman conditions in prison. The cells are overcrowded and have a very limited small courtyard area for walking. Alla and her detained fellow are not allowed to speak to the media. According to the department of the State Control Committee, they were investigating the alleged tax evasion done by the staff of the  Press Club of Belarus. The committee was looking into the management of funds, the money received from abroad.

Alla Sharko along with other detainees Yuliya Slutskaya, Sairhei Alsheuski, Piotr Slutski, Kseniya Lutskina was charged with criminal acts under article 243-part 2, for tax evasion on a large scale as accomplices. They were held in the pretrial detention centre, number 1 in Minsk.

The International Association of Press Clubs (IAPC) and European Press Clubs Federation (EPCF) demanded an immediate release of all the detained journalists and an end to this repression against them in Belarus. Reportedly 385 journalists detained since the latest forged presidential elections and several of them are still in prisons.

The Coalition For Women In Journalism demands the immediate release of Alla Sharko and other imprisoned journalists. We urge Belarus state authorities to refrain from abusing their power by arresting journalists. The state should drop all the criminal charges against Alla Sharko and release her.

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

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