Belarusian Journalist Aleh Supruniuk Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for “Extremism”

August 26, 2025 – Belarus – 

Belarusian freelance journalist Aleh Supruniuk has been sentenced to three years in prison following a closed trial on August 8. He was found guilty of “participating in an extremist group” after writing at least 43 articles for the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), which the government declared an extremist organization in early 2023. His sentencing was officially announced on August 25 by BAJ, which continues to operate in exile.

Supruniuk, based in Brest, had been detained since January 2025 after an earlier administrative arrest in December 2024, when authorities searched his home, confiscated his electronic devices, and accused him of distributing extremist content. He spent over six months in pre-trial detention before the charges were formalised by prosecutors in June.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the verdict and called for Supruniuk’s immediate release, along with the release of all other journalists unjustly detained in Belarus. CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Gulnoza Said described the sentencing as “yet another example of the Belarusian authorities’ covert attacks on the press,” highlighting the broader crackdown on media freedoms.

The case underscores a growing pattern of repression against independent journalism in Belarus, conducted under the guise of anti-extremism laws. Supruniuk’s prosecution, rooted solely in reporting and association with an unauthorised press body, reflects an intensified campaign to silence dissent and punish media professionals.

References –

https://cpj.org/2025/08/belarusian-court-sentences-journalist-aleh-supruniuk-to-3-years-in-prison/

https://www.jurist.org/news/2025/08/press-freedom-group-condemns-belarus-court-for-sentencing-journalist-aleh-supruniuk/