Dzianis Ivashyn

Affiliated media: Novy Chas, Journalist

Incident date: March 22, 2022

Attack type:

• Defamation, spreading libel about a media worker or media outlet

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Minsk

Additional information:

The KGB of Belarus claimed that spies worked under cover of the Ukrainian embassy in Belarus and accused Hrodna-based journalist Dzianis Ivashyn of cooperation with the Ukrainian intelligence. Such an accusation against the journalist was voiced by the deputy head of the KGB Investigation Department Kanstantsin Bychek. Ivashin was detained on March 12, 2021, in his flat in Hrodna. He cooperated with the newspaper Novy Chas and is a member of the Ukrainian initiative Informnapalm, known for his investigations. His last article was about former employees of the Ukrainian Berkut in the Belarusian security structures. Initially, he was suspected of «interference in the activities of an employee of the internal affairs bodies» (Article 365 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). In September 2021, the journalist was charged with a new «especially serious crime», later it became known that this was «treason against the state».