Two independent Belarusian journalists have been convicted of high treason and sentenced to lengthy prison terms, marking the latest move in President Alexander Lukashenko’s ongoing crackdown on dissent and free speech, according to media rights groups.
Uladzimir Yanukevich, 65, founder and editor of the popular Intex-Press and BAR24 outlets, was sentenced to 14 years, while his colleague Andrei Pakalenka, 44, received 12 years in prison. Both media platforms were among Belarus’s most widely read independent news sources.
The Regional Court in Brest held the proceedings behind closed doors, with state television alleging the journalists had connections to the German Embassy, though details of the charges remain unclear.
“These horrific sentences show that the authorities have no intention of halting the most sweeping repressions against journalists in Europe, now in its sixth year,” said Andrei Bastunets, head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. “Any dissent is harshly punished by the authorities.”
Yanukevich, who has serious health issues, has reportedly been denied proper medical care while in custody, the association added.
The sentences come as part of a broader campaign of repression under Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus for over three decades. Following the widely disputed 2020 election, hundreds of thousands protested, with more than 65,000 arrests, widespread beatings, and closure of hundreds of independent media outlets and NGOs. Currently, 28 independent journalists are imprisoned, according to Bastunets’ group.
Yanukevich and Pakalenka were among seven Intex-Press journalists arrested in December 2024 after raids on their offices and homes. In August 2025, four colleagues were convicted of aiding “extremist activities” and sentenced to a form of work-release program. Human rights groups note that accusations of extremism are widely used to suppress independent voices.
Also on Friday, the Minsk City Court began the trial of journalist Pavel Dabravolski, who faces similar high treason charges. Dabravolski has been in custody since January 2025 and has worked for both Belarusian and international media outlets.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned the sentences, saying: “Journalism is not a crime, and the convicted journalists are victims of the authorities who are building a totalitarian state. Lukashenko’s regime fears the truth more than anything.”
Belarus continues to face Western isolation and sanctions due to its repressive policies and its role in the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, although Lukashenko has recently released hundreds of political prisoners in an attempt to repair relations. Despite this, suppression of dissent continues, with the Viasna human rights group reporting 1,143 political prisoners currently in Belarus.
