European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Catarina Andreeva and Darja Chulcova, two journalists for Belsat, were each sentenced on 18 February to two years in prison for reporting live from an anti-government rally in Minsk in November.

At least 11 journalists and media workers remain in detention, among them Katsiaryna Barysevich, Daria Chultsova, Yulia Slutskaya, Alla Sharko, Siarhei Alsheuski, Sergey Olshevski, Petr Slutski, Ksenia Lutskina, Andrei Aliaksandrau, Katsiaryna Andreeva and Aliaksandr Mikrukou.

“Mediazona” editor-in-chief Sergey Smirnov was accused of violating the rules for holding public events based on a tweet containing the date and time of a rally in support of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny.

Journalist Andrei Alexandrov was detained on charges of violating public order. He was Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists and has worked for Index on Censorship and ARTICLE 19.

“We urge the IIHF to request the government of Belarus to take concrete steps to ensure greater respect for press freedoms, including the release of the unjustly imprisoned journalists. We ask you to reach out to Lukashenka and strongly urge him to take immediate action to ensure that human rights principles are respected.”

Geybulla has been unjustly accused of betraying her country for taking a measured and journalistic stance in the face of the recent armed conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

As democracy and the rule of law come increasingly under pressure in a number of EU countries, the undersigned organisations call on EU policymakers to urgently put forward an EU anti-SLAPP Directive to protect public watchdogs that help hold the powerful to account and keep democratic debate alive.

Those who disseminate images with the “intent to cause harm” would face up to one year in prison and fines of up to 45,000 euros.