A court in the town of Maladechna near Minsk sentenced noted Belarusian journalist Alyaksandr Mantsevich to four years in prison on November 3 on a charge of discrediting the country amid an ongoing crackdown on independent media and democratic institutions by authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The chief editor of Rehiyanalnaya Hazeta (Regional newspaper) was arrested in mid-March after police searched his home. According to the court, Mantsevich and his colleagues published materials from January 2020 to March 2023 that carried "false information discrediting Belarus and its authorities." To read the original story by RFE/RL's Belarus Service, click here.
Noted Belarusian Journalist Gets Four Years In Prison Amid Crackdown
Belarusian journalist Alyaksandr Mantsevich (file photo)