Journalist couple Sniazhana Inanets and Aliaksandr Lychauka punished with home confinement
On 13 January, the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk pronounced the final verdict on journalists Sniazhana Inanets and Aliaksandr Lychauka. Both were sentenced to freedom restriction for participation in unsanctioned mass events. They had spent over three months in custody.
According to the court decision, Snyazhana Inanets will serve 2 years in home confinement, Aliaksandr Lychauka’s sentence is one year longer. After the verdict was pronounced, the spouses were released in the courtroom.
Aliaksandr Lychauka and Sniazhana Inanets were arrested and criminally charged on 6 October 2022. The human rights community recognized them as political prisoners.
Before his arrest, Lychauka worked for The Village media specializing in local history journalism. Sniazhana Inanets was previously a member of the TUT.BY team, but after it had been shut down by the authorities, she worked for the Onliner media outlet.
The following journalists are in jail at the moment:
Katsiaryna Andreyeva
Ihar Losik
Ksenia Lutskina
Andrei Aliaksandrau
Dzianis Ivashyn
Andrej Pachobut (Andrzej Poczobut)
Maryna Zolatava, tut by
Liudmila Chekina, tut by
Valerija Kastsiugova, editor of «Belarusian Yearbook», analyst
Aliaksandr Ivulin, editor of Tribuna.by
Yahor Martsinovich, Nasha Niva
Andrei Skurko, Nasha Niva
Irina Lewshyna, director, editor-in-chief of BelaPAN
Dzmitry Navazhylaw, ex-director of BelaPAN
Genadz Mazheika, journalist of «Komsomolskaya Pravda in Belarus»
Iryna Slaunikava
Andrei Kuznechyk, journalist RFE/RL
Siarhei Satsuk, editor of Ej.by
Yury Hantsarevich, Intex-press
Dzmitry Luksha, correspondent «Khabar 24 TV»
Kanstantsin Zalatykh, director of the newspaper «Belorusy i Rynok»
Ales (Aliaksandr) Liubianchuk
Yury Hladchuk, ABW.BY
Ivan Muraueu
Pavel Mazhejka, Hrodna
Yauhen Merkis, Homiel
Sniazhana Inanets
Aliaksandr Lychauka
Dzmitry Semchanka, ex-journalist ONT TV
Andrei Famin, editor of small-circulation newspapers «Vesnik»
Larysa Shchyrakova, Homiel
Siarhei Chyhryn, Slonim