A court in Belarus has convicted journalist Kiryl Pazniak and sentenced him to three and a half years in prison, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. Pazniak, 49, was found guilty of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, charges frequently used by the government to stifle critical voices. He was also ordered to pay a fine equivalent to $8,500.
Pazniak was arrested in September 2025. His ex-wife reported that he fell seriously ill in detention with pneumonia and COVID-19, requiring hospitalization. Human rights organizations have designated him a political prisoner.
Belarus, led by President Alexander Lukashenko for over three decades, has faced international sanctions for its human rights record and for its role in supporting Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which began in February 2022. The country experienced widespread protests following the 2020 presidential election, which many viewed as rigged. Tens of thousands were detained, and many opposition figures fled or were imprisoned.
In the past, under deals brokered by the United States, Lukashenko released political prisoners, which led to the easing of some U.S. sanctions. However, human rights groups assert that the crackdown on dissent has continued. The Viasna human rights center reports that 863 political prisoners remain in Belarus.
"Pazniak nearly died behind bars, but was convicted and is forced to continue suffering simply for fulfilling his professional duty," stated Andrei Bastunets, leader of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. "Repressions against journalists in Belarus are not abating, and the situation with freedom of speech remains the worst in Europe."
Currently, 21 journalists are imprisoned in Belarus, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists has also reported that six Belarusian media outlets operating in exile have recently faced distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, aimed at making their websites inaccessible. These exiled outlets suspect Belarusian authorities may be attempting to suppress reporting on sensitive political topics, including issues related to Belarus' exiled opposition.