Iryna Slavnikava

Affiliated media: TVP, Journalist

Incident date: August 3, 2022

Attack type:

• Court trial

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Homel

Additional information:

The journalist Iryna Slavnikava was sentenced to 5 years in a penal colony. The trial was held behind closed doors in Homel regional court. Slavnikova was accused of «establishment of extremist formation» (Part 1 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus) and «organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order» (Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). According to investigators, the journalist participated in a protest on August 30, 2020, and «united a group of citizens, who under her management and control created and posted extremist materials on numerous Polish media resources», «formed the composition of the community, distributed roles, adjusted the news agenda, materially supported and financed the activities of the criminal group». The Investigative Committee claimed to have evidence that Slavnikava was the head of Belsat, which is recognized as an «extremist formation» in Belarus.