Persistent imprisonment of journalists severe blow to freedom of expression in Belarus, says OSCE Media Freedom Representative

VIENNA, 13 July 2022 – Following recent prison sentences, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Teresa Ribeiro, today deplored the continued practice of judicial reprisals against journalists and media workers in Belarus.

On 13 July Katerina Andreyeva (Bakhvalova), journalist with Belsat TV channel, was sentenced to eight years in jail on state treason charges. The journalist is already serving a two-year prison sentence, after she and another journalist Darya Chultsova were convicted in February 2021, see: https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/478885.

Earlier, on 8 and 15 June 2022, the courts handed six-year and 2,5-year sentences to RFE/RL’s freelance correspondent Andrey Kuznechyk and Novy Chas weekly’s chief-editor Oksana Kolb respectively. 

The Representative continues to follow closely the cases of other members of the press who are facing trials.

“Imprisoning journalists for doing their job is unacceptable. I repeat my call on the Belarusian authorities to stop the attack on freedom of expression and media freedom commitments,” Ribeiro said. “All imprisoned, arrested or detained media workers must be released.”

The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.