Ales Sabaleuski

Affiliated media: Journalist, Blogger

Incident date: December 12, 2023

Attack type:

• Non-fatal attack / beating / injury / torture

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Mahiliou

Additional information:

Blogger and former journalist of the regional media outlet Mahiliou Media Ales Sabaleuski was detained at his workplace in the morning by the police officers. According to his cellmate in the temporary detention centre, on the way to the police station, the officers beat Sobolevsky in the official car. The law enforcers found a subscription to the Telegram channel declared «extremist» by the Belarusian court and Sabaleuski ’s comments under the publications in his phone. On this basis, the court declared him guilty of an offence under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus (possession/distribution of extremist materials) and arrested him for 10 days. The journalist was also threatened with a criminal case and forced to «repent» on camera.