Journalists Arrested Ahead of Belarus Election as Crackdown Tightens

December 13, 2024 – Belarus –

Belarusian authorities arrested seven journalists from the independent online outlet Intex‑Press in Baranavichy in early December 2024, leveling charges of “supporting extremist activities.” The Belarusian Association of Journalists condemned the detentions as a deliberate effort to extinguish dissenting voices in the run‑up to January’s presidential election, calling it the single largest group of arrests from one media platform in the past year. The arrests come on the heels of a four‑year prison sentence handed down to journalist Volha Radzivonava earlier in December for her critical coverage of the regime, signaling an intensifying assault on media freedom.

Belarus’s government, led by President Alexander Lukashenko, has opened a sweeping campaign against independent journalism since the disputed 2020 vote, detaining thousands during nationwide protests and shuttering critical news outlets. Human rights organizations estimate that around 40 journalists remain behind bars, with over 397 unjust arrests recorded since 2020. Lukashenko’s regime routinely labels independent journalists and their followers as extremists, criminalizing even passive association with banned publications.

These recent arrests appear timed to ensure minimal press scrutiny during the January election cycle. Experts say they create a chilling atmosphere that deters any public criticism and cements the state’s control over information. Media researchers warn that with election coverage tightly managed, the suppression of press freedom undermines not only individual rights but also the integrity of Belarus’s democratic processes.

International press freedom groups such as Reporters Without Borders and the Committee to Protect Journalists have condemned the crackdown and called on the Lukashenko government to immediately release detained journalists, lift restrictions on media activity, and halt the abuse of anti‑extremism laws for political purposes. With most independent media forced into exile and domestic reporting severely curtailed, the arrests signal a critical moment in Belarus’s escalating repression and raise urgent concerns about the country’s post‑election environment.

Reference – 

https://apnews.com/article/belarus-media-crackdown-lukashenko-opposition-2ca3a9d53420a11afde2cd2990625607

Belarusian authorities arrest 7 journalists who worked for an independent newspaper

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/12/13/seven-journalists-arrested-in-belarus-in-crackdown-ahead-of-presidential-election