Affiliated media: BelaPAN, News agency

Incident date: March 11, 2024

Attack type:

• Shutting down a media outlet / blocking an Internet site/ seizure of an entire print run

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Minsk

Additional information:

The Economic Court of Minsk liquidated BelaPAN CJSC, the founder of the independent news agency BelaPAN, at the request of the prosecutor of the Pervomaisky District. The media stopped working in Belarus in November 2021, when the KGB declared it an «extremist formation». The prosecutor’s office stated about the allegedly revealed «repeated and gross violations of tax law, as well as the law on state social insurance». The authorities shut down BelaPAN on August 18, 2021. At that time, law enforcers detained the media executives. The office and flats of employees were searched, equipment was seized. In October 2022, the Minsk Regional Court (Judge Viachaslau Tuleika) sentenced the journalists and managers of BelaPAN. Andrei Aliaksandrau received 14 years of colony, his wife Iryna Zlobina — 9 years, Dzmitry Navazhilau — 6 years, Iryna Levshina — 4 years of colony. They were recognised as political prisoners.