Belarus: two journalists claim to have been tortured in prison
Protesters arrested during anti-Lukashenko rallies leave Belarusian prison.
AFP - SERGEI GAPON
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In Belarus, two journalists claim they were tortured in prison.
Uladzimir Laptsevich and Alexander Burakou, arrested on May 12, have gone on hunger strike.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Minsk,
Ania Nowak
Uladzimir Laptsevich, who works for an independent television station, and Alexander Burakou, correspondent for German radio Deutsche Welle, are accused of having participated repeatedly in unauthorized rallies.
In other words, to cover the demonstrations.
They were arrested on their way to court to cover a trial.
They were sentenced to twenty days in prison.
It was during their hearing on May 15 that they said they had been tortured.
Aleksander Burakou has been arrested several times in recent months and this is the first time he has reported ill-treatment.
He says he was deprived of sleep, warm clothes and forced to walk naked in the halls of the prison.
The families of the two journalists report that they have started a hunger strike, which the Interior Ministry denies.
Their names add to the very long list of journalists who have been arrested, jailed or beaten by police over the past year.
The regime of
Alexander Lukashenko
seems determined to end freedom of the press.
A raid was carried out on the premises of the Belarusian Association of Journalists in February and four Press Club employees have been in prison since December.
There are also two journalists from Belsat who
were sentenced to two years in prison.
According to Reporters Without Borders,
Belarus
is now the most dangerous country in Europe for journalists.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Belarus
Alexander Lukashenko
Journalism
On the same subject
Belarus: Was President Lukashenko the victim of an “attempted coup”?
Belarus: repression hardens, protest increasingly silenced
International report
Belarus: excursion to Navahrudak where resistance continues