Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the Euronest Assembly; Belarus is the most dangerous country in Europe for journalists; Ihar Losik’s Telegram channel is recognized as extremist
20 April 2021 | Voice of Belarus
Source: t.me/belsat
Tsikhanouskaya spoke at the Euronest Assembly
On 19–20 April, the 9th session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, a parliamentary platform for economic and political interaction between the EU countries and eastern neighbors, took place. The Belarusian delegation was headed by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. In her address to the Assembly Tsikhanouskaya spoke about repressions and violence of the Lukashenko regime, arbitrary detentions, tortures in prisons, and unlawful sentencing in courts. She called on the EU countries to act as mediators in the dialogue between the people and regime, to become guarantors of obligations that parties of the negotiations would commit to.
Tsikhanouskaya also called for simplification of the visa regime and visa-free entry to the EU for Belarusians.
Source: tsikhanouskaya.org
Belarus is the most dangerous country in Europe for journalists
Belarus has worsened its position in the World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Over the year Belarus dropped five positions and is now ranked 158th out of 180 nations.
The organization called Belarus the most dangerous country in Europe for the work of journalists. Journalists in Belarus “are being subjected to an unprecedented crackdown in an attempt to cover up the massive street protests in response to the contested presidential election result,” the report says. RSF points out that harassment of journalists in Belarus is becoming more common and punishments for journalists are getting tougher. According to RSF, over 400 journalists were detained or arrested in Belarus in 2020.
Ihar Losik’s Telegram channel is recognized as extremist
Zheleznodorozhny district court in Homel recognized the Telegram channel Belarus golovnogo mozga (Belarus always on my mind) as extremist. According to the authorities, the channel published materials aimed at inciting social enmity, as well as insulting security and government officials. Punishment according to the Code of Administrative Offenses, including administrative arrest, is to follow if a person is found reposting information from the Telegram channel.
The Telegram channel Belarus golovnogo mozga was created by political prisoner Ihar Losik, who has been under arrest since 25 June 2020. On his Telegram channel, Ihar talked about the local problems all over the country, preparations for the upcoming presidential election in Belarus, and the outbreak of protest actions. Belarus golovnogo mozga is the fourth most-subscribed Telegram channel in Belarus. As of now, the channel has almost 228 thousand subscribers.
Up to 6 years in prison for removing a mask from a policeman
A criminal case was opened against Anastasiya Herylovich, a resident of Zhodzina. The events that became the reason for the criminal case had taken place in Zhodzina on 13 September 2020 and were widely publicized. A policeman hit a woman who was filming him on the phone with such force that she fell. Indignant Zhodzina residents immediately ran up to the policeman. Among them was Anastasiya Herylovich, who ripped the policeman’s mask off. In six months no questions arose as to Anastasiya’s participation in the events on 13 September, yet on 7 April she was detained and a criminal case was opened on violence against a police officer. The maximum punishment under this article is 6 years of prison. No criminal case has been opened against the policeman who hit the woman.
Source: euroradio
