Belarus: State Opens Criminal Investigation Against Exiled Journalist Hanna Liubakova
Charges announced amid mass raids targeting relatives of political prisoners in Belarus
Location: Belarus, Minsk
Date: January 24, 2024
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom expresses outrage over the escalating crackdown on journalists, analysts, and activists in Belarus. We are appalled by the recent criminal charges filed against exiled journalist Hanna Liubakova and 19 others who are currently residing abroad. These charges are part of a broader assault on those who have valiantly opposed and spoken out against the dictatorship of Alexander Lukashenko, and who have sought refuge outside their homeland. This is not an isolated incident but rather a continuation of the relentless persecution that has persisted in Belarus for years. The charges are nothing short of a blatant attempt to pressure, intimidate, and silence those who have dared to report on Lukashenko's regime. We call for the immediate dropping of charges against Hanna Liubakova and the other 19 journalists and analysts facing persecution in Belarus. We urgently urge the international community to condemn these egregious violations, demand the restoration of press freedom, and exert pressure on Belarus to respect the rights of journalists and activists.
“It might seem like the regime is escalating pressure because all of a sudden we have this case against 20 people, but this has been happening every day for the past three years," exiled Belarusian journalist Hanna Liubakova tells CFWIJ following the announcement that she and 19 other journalists and analysts are facing criminal charges from the regime in Belarus. A day earlier, state authorities raided and detained relatives of political prisoners in Belarus. As of the end of 2023, Belarusian human rights organization Viasna reported that 4,248 people were sentenced on politically motivated charges in Belarus, including 910 women.
“This has been happening every day for the past three years”
The charges against Liubakova and 19 others, including analysts, sociologists, and journalists, represent the most extensive crackdown on those living outside Belarus, employing what the authorities term a "unique procedure" of trying them in absentia.
Liubakova faces serious accusations, including "an attempt to seize power," "incitement of discord," "formation of an extremist group," and "participation in an armed conflict." These charges, announced by Belarus' Investigative Committee on January 24, 2024, carry hefty prison sentences and are a clear attempt to pressure, intimidate, and silence those critical of Lukashenko’s regime.
The journalist tells CFWIJ that she has previously been detained and interrogated while traveling and has had her property in Belarus seized by authorities. “I am already on the wanted list, and I've known about this since 2021,” explains Liubakova. “Which means, I am restricted from traveling to countries within the CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) due to an intergovernmental search. I have to be careful traveling anywhere, especially countries which aren’t democratic. So many European countries are off-limits as a precaution.”
Liubakova's predicament is emblematic of the broader assault on journalists and dissidents who have fled the country seeking refuge.
“I have to be careful traveling anywhere, especially countries which aren’t democratic”
Belarus has increasingly targeted its diaspora, making it difficult for those living abroad to renew their passports, rendering them stateless. This oppressive measure forces those who fled persecution to choose between risking arrest and detention by returning to Belarus for passport renewal or living without proper documentation.
Meanwhile, the crackdown on activists and their families within Belarus continues unabated. The Belarusian State Security Committee, known as KGB, detained over 80 people on January 23, 2024, as reported by the exiled Human Rights Center Viasna (Spring). The KGB focused on former political prisoners and families of current political prisoners, investigating potential involvement in "financing extremist activities" and "participation in extremist formations." Some were detained, while others were searched and later released. The detentions and raids were allegedly linked to the "INeedHelpBY" project, labeled by the Minsk regime as an "extremist formation." The initiative was created to provide emergency food aid to those who have experienced a loss of income due to involvement in political activities in Belarus.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom is deeply concerned about the plight of journalists in Belarus. Fourteen women journalists are currently behind bars, facing astonishingly harsh sentences. Notably, TUT.by journalists Maryna Zolatava and Lyudmila Chekina received 12-year prison sentences in March 2023. Katsiaryna Andreyeva, who documented an anti-Lukashenko protest in November 2020, received a 10-year and three-month prison sentence, while her colleague Ksenia Lutskina is serving an eight-year sentence.
The Lukashenko-led government's relentless persecution of journalists and media workers, coupled with draconian anti-press laws, reflects a grave violation of press freedom. The state's actions post-2020 presidential election indicate a systematic clampdown on dissenting voices, threatening the very essence of democracy and human rights.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom calls for the immediate dropping of charges against Hanna Liubakova and the other 19 journalists and analysts. We urge the international community to condemn these egregious violations and pressure Belarus to respect press freedom and the rights of journalists.
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 women 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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