Yauhen Merkis

Affiliated media: Freelance journalist

Incident date: February 16, 2021

Attack type:

• Pressure on a media worker via judicial and/or economic pressure on relatives and loved ones

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Homel

Additional information:

On February 16, mass searches of journalists and human rights activists took place across the country. The Investigative Committee said that it had initiated the searches in a criminal case on actions that grossly violate public order (Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus). The sanction was issued by Deputy Prosecutor General Dzmitry Hora. The flat of the father of the freelance journalist Yauhen Merkis was searched. Computers and phones belonging to the journalist’s relatives were seized, as well as personal belongings of Yauhen Merkis.