October 31, Pozirk. The Hrodna Regional Court has sentenced Siarhiej Čaboćka, owner of the s13.ru local news website, to three and a half years in prison and fined him 42,000 rubels ($14,100), the state-run Belarus 4 Hrodna TV channel reported.
He was found guilty of forming an extremist group and defaming Alaksandar Łukašenka.
The defendant, together with other individuals, set up the news website and other resources calling for “violent change of the constitutional order,” the case files said.
One year ago, the Committee for State Security (KGB) branded s13.ru and its followers on social media as an “extremist group,” blacklisting the website content and the associated Telegram channel.
At least 28 media workers are held behind bars in Belarus, the exiled Belarusian Association of Journalists said.
Authorities in Belarus have equated criticism, solidarity, advocacy, the free media and free expression to extremism and terrorism.
