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March 09, 2026 – Belarus –
A Belarusian court has sentenced journalist Pavel Dabravolski to nine years in prison on treason charges, in a ruling that press freedom advocates say reflects an escalating crackdown on independent media under President Alexander Lukashenko.
The verdict was delivered by the Minsk City Court during a closed-door trial, according to Belarusian media rights groups. Dabravolski, a 36-year-old journalist who has worked for several domestic and international outlets, was convicted and ordered to serve his sentence in a maximum-security prison.
Dabravolski most recently worked for BelaPAN, an independent Belarusian news agency that authorities have labeled an “extremist organization.” Government prosecutors accused him of committing treason, though details of the evidence were not made public due to the secrecy surrounding the trial proceedings.
Press freedom groups and opposition figures have strongly criticized the conviction. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’s exiled opposition leader, described the charges as politically motivated and said the journalist was being punished for his reporting on the mass protests that followed the disputed 2020 presidential election.
The 2020 election, widely condemned by Western governments and opposition groups as fraudulent, triggered large-scale demonstrations across Belarus. Authorities responded with a sweeping crackdown that included arrests, violence against protesters, and the shutdown of independent media outlets. More than 65,000 people were detained during the protests, and thousands reported being beaten by security forces.
Journalist organizations say the prosecution of Dabravolski is part of a broader campaign targeting media workers in Belarus. According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, at least 28 journalists are currently imprisoned in the country, making Belarus one of the leading jailers of journalists in Europe.
The sentencing also follows a surge in arrests of media professionals. Rights groups reported that five journalists had been jailed within two weeks, highlighting what observers describe as an intensifying effort by authorities to silence critical reporting and independent journalism.
Under Lukashenko’s three-decade rule, Belarus has faced increasing international criticism over human rights violations, suppression of political opposition, and restrictions on media freedom. Independent outlets have been closed or forced into exile, while journalists who remain in the country face the risk of arrest under charges ranging from extremism to treason.
Media rights advocates warn that the conviction of Dabravolski underscores the continuing deterioration of press freedom in Belarus and highlights the risks faced by journalists reporting on political developments in the country.
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