Andrey Tolchyn

Affiliated media: Freelance cameraman

Incident date: September 27, 2023

Attack type:

• Search with a court decree

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Viasna

Location: Belarus, Gomel

Additional information:

On September 27, 2023, former journalist Andrey Tolchyn was detained in Gomel. The next day, the law enforcers searched Tolchyn’s flat. As a result, the investigators took away computer equipment and other digital media. Andrey Tolchyn was transferred to pre-trial detention centre № 3 and a criminal case was opened against him. At the end of November 2023, it became known that the criminal case against Tolchyn was transferred by investigators to the prosecutor’s office to be sent to court. He is accused under Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (creation of an extremist formation or participation in it). Tolchyn is the creator of Gomel city newspaper Homelskiye Vedomosti and a freelance journalist who cooperated with several independent media outlets. Tolchyn has been repeatedly detained and tried for journalistic activities since 2017. After the 2020 protests, the journalist decided to leave the profession.