Yauhen Merkis

Affiliated media: Belsat TV , Journalist

Incident date: September 11, 2025

Attack type:

• Forced deportation, Extradition

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Minsk

Additional information:

Twelve journalists and bloggers were forcibly deported from Belarus to Lithuania (Vilnius) after being released from a penal colony on 11 September. Among them were Iryna Slaunikava, Larysa Shchyrakova, Mikola Dziadok, Ihar Losik, Pavel Mazheika, Aliaksandr Mantsevich, Yauhen Merkis, Alena Timashchuk, Viachaslau Lazarau, Pavel Padabed, Pavel Vinahradau and Zmitser Kazlou. The journalists were freed as part of a group of 52 prisoners following a visit to Minsk by John Kohl, a representative of the US President. They were taken out of Belarus to Lithuania by bus against their will, without being given any choice in the matter. Some of the former political prisoners ended up abroad without passports.