On Wednesday, dozens of journalists gathered outside a police station in Belarus to protest the detention of fellow journalists covering protests outside government buildings. The protests have been occurring for several days now, sparked by the re-election of Alexander Lukashenko. Many members of Belarus’s opposition party claim that the election was rigged. Members of the opposition party have been targeted by the Belarus government, facing jail time, exile, and other extreme pushback.
On Tuesday, several journalists from various Belarusian news outlets were detained, with authorities claiming that they were taking part in an unsanctioned demonstration. If charged, they could face jail time up to 15 days. The election allegedly awarded Lukashenko 80% of the vote, a tally that Belarusian opposition members claim is not accurate. In addition to the detained journalists, two Moscow Associated Press journalists were deported to Russia last Saturday, while the AP’s Belarusian journalists were informed that their press credentials had been revoked.
Read More: Belarusian Journalists Face Charges for Covering Protests
