Police in Minsk have summoned the chairman of the Belarusian Journalists' Association (BAZh) for questioning in a probe related to activities "directed at causing damage to the national security" of the country.
BAZh said on December 15 that Andrey Bastunets was ordered during a phone call to visit the Central Office of the Investigative Committee in Minsk on December 16.
The move comes as the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published a report listing Belarus among countries where the number of imprisoned journalists rose significantly in recent months amid mass protests after incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed victory in a disputed presidential election in August.
.
Since August, at least 373 journalists have been arrested, six of whom are currently detained, the UN said earlier this month.
In October, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry revoked the media accreditations of several foreign media outlets in an attempt to stifle reporting.
Related
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
Putin Sends Signals To The West On Ukraine Ahead Of Trump's New Term
2Russia Moving Military Assets To Africa After Syria Setback
3Kyiv Says It Broke Up Russian Spy Network Targeting F-16 Fighter Data
4Ukraine Hits Kazan Buildings In Latest Display Of Drone Power
5What Would The Russian Capture Of Pokrovsk Mean For The Ukraine War?
6U.S., U.K. Say Medvedev's Comment Calling NATO Officials 'Legitimate Targets' Irresponsible
7Mystery Photos Shed Light On Romania's 1989 Revolution
8Orban Says Higher NATO Defense Targets Would Cripple The Hungarian Economy
9Putin, In Annual Televised Show Of Control, Says Russia Nearing 'Primary Goal' In Ukraine War
10Kyiv Hits Kursk After Massive Wave Of Deadly Russian Strikes On Ukraine
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
