Yury Hantsarevich

Affiliated media: Intex-press, Journalist

Incident date: May 5, 2022

Attack type:

• Non-fatal attack / beating / injury / torture

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Baranavichi

Additional information:

The detention of Hantsarevich became known after the publication of a «penitential» video of him on the pro-government Telegram channel Reverse Side. It was also reported there that a criminal case was opened against the correspondent of Intex-Press under the article on promotion of extremist activity (Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). In the «penitential» video Hantsarevich tells the law enforcers that he sent photos of «presumably Russian military equipment» to the Belarusian online media outlets Zerkalo and Radio Svaboda. The editorial office of Intex-Press does not know the circumstances of the detention of the correspondent, as he was on holiday, but said that the court arrested Hantsarevich for 10 days. It is unknown under what article the journalist was arrested. The human rights activists equate the recording of «penitential» videos, practised by the Belarusian law enforcers, with torture.