Belarusian police conducted raids on the homes and offices of activists and journalists on Feb. 16, as part of an investigation into the financing of anti-government protests that have swept the country since last August. Thirty people were detained and three were placed in police custody, including members of the Belarus Association of Journalists (BAJ), a non-governmental association that promotes free and independent journalism.
When President Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected for a sixth term on Aug. 9, activists, journalists and members of the international community questioned the validity of the election. The European Union sanctioned multiple individuals for their involvement in facilitating a fraudulent election and Lukashenko canceled accreditation for all foreign journalists in October.
“The regime is unleashing repressions against those who are championing human rights,” opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said in response to the crackdown, stating further, “they should look into the offices of the riot police, the GUBOPiK (interior ministry directorate) and all those responsible for the repression.”
Attacks on the free press are not, however, a recent development in the Lukashenko regime. According to BAJ Vice President Boris Goretsky, over 400 journalists have been detained in the last six months, and 10 more face criminal charges. 30,000 protestors have also been detained and beaten. On the same day as the raid, two journalists from Polish TV channel Belsat were to be tried in court for allegedly reporting from anti-Lukashenko protests. Two days later, they were sentenced to two years in prison. Of the 25 raids, prominent targets included the Chairman of BAJ Andrei Bastinets and partners of the Council of Europe (CoE) and the United Nations.
The European Union, Amnesty International and CoE condemned Lukashenko’s attempts at curbing freedom of expression. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) have also demanded an end to the suppression of independent media.
On Feb. 1, President Lukashenko convened a “People’s Assembly,”during which he indicated that he would only step down once there is “peace and order” in Belarus. The President also highlighted the importance of having Russia, a country that has supported Lukashenko and used Minsk as a buffer against NATO and the EU, as an ally. The opposition rejected the Assembly as an attempt by Lukashenko to retain legitimacy.
Numerous European leaders, including Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Hungary and Mateusz Morawiecki in Poland, have launched attacks on freedom of speech and expression in recent months. The assaults on activists and journalists in Belarus are similar in tone and have brought the country to a crossroads between freedom and stability. However, the voice of the Belarusian people, coupled with pressure from the international community, may help combat the suppression of independent media and protect the population.
Comments