Belarus: Journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva Sentenced Eight Years In Prison On Treason Charge
Location: Belarus, GomelDate: July 15, 2022
Belarusian journalist Katsiaryna Andreyeva, a correspondent for Poland-based independent Belarusian broadcaster Belsat TV, was sentenced to eight years in prison on an alleged charge of treason. The Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ) denounces the prison sentence given to Katsiaryna. We call Belarusian authorities to release the journalist immediately.
Katsiaryna has already been jailed for around one and half years for covering protests in November 2020. Her trial on additional charges of “high treason” was to begin on July 4 but was suspended on July 6, according to a Facebook post by her husband Ihar Ilyash.
On July 13, the journalist’s trial for alleged treason began behind closed doors in the city of Homel, where the local District Court sentenced the journalist to eight years in prison on a “high treason” charge under Article 356 of the Belarusian Criminal Code.
Katsiaryna was detained in November 2020 along with her camera operator Darya Chultsova while live-streaming incidents of police brutality during a rally held in memory of murdered dissident Raman Bandarenka.
In February 2021, they were sentenced to two years in prison each on charges of “organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order”. The police accused them of “coordinating protesters and calling for further actions”, and claimed that their actions resulted in property damage, reported the CFWIJ at the time.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is horrified at the judgment. Not only should a state not curb civil liberties and free press, in the manner that the Belarusian authorities have, but even the nature of the punishment is grotesque. Sending journalists to a low-security penal colony is a deliberate attempt to put their safety at risk. In this age, when just the thought of penal colonies should be considered shameful, the Belarusian authorities have gone on to utilize it to punish journalists doing their job. The Coalition For Women In Journalism condemns this act in the strongest terms.
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.
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