Trial of 2 journalists who filmed Belarus protest opens
The trial of two broadcast journalists charged with violating public order with their work covering a protest has opened in Belarus
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The trial of two journalists charged with violating public order with their work covering a protest opened Tuesday in Belarus
Ekaterina Bakhvalova and Daria Chultsova were arrested in November while filming police disperse a protest in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. They were charged with “organizing actions rudely violating public order” and have denied the accusations.
The journalists who were covering the protest for TV channel Belsat, could face up to three years in prison, if convicted.
Speaking in court on Tuesday, Bakhvalova dismissed the case as fabricated. The judge refused to release the two women from custody.
The U.S. Embassy in Belarus issued a statement last week calling for their release and urging Belarusian authorities to stop prosecuting journalists for doing their jobs.
“The case against these journalists is one of dozens of examples demonstrating the authorities’ continued manipulation of the law for political gain with intent to silence the media,” the embassy said in a statement.
Belarus has been shaken by protests since an Aug. 9 presidential election that gave President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office by a landslide, according to the official returns. The political opposition and some poll workers have said the election was rigged.
According to human rights advocates, more than 30,000 people have been detained since the anti-Lukashenko protests began, and thousands of them were brutally beaten. Lukashenko has relentlessly suppressed the opposition during his more than 26 years in office.