RSF on journalist releases in Belarus: one-off pardons cannot replace justice

March 21, Pozirk. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomed the release of several Belarusian journalists among a large group of dissidents freed two days ago, but stressed that they should never have been imprisoned.
“We call for the immediate release of the 22 media professionals still detained in the country and reiterate that one-off pardons cannot replace justice,” said Jeanne Cavelier, head of RSF’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.
Preliminary lists circulating among Belarusian independent media outlets and human rights activists indicate that six media workers were among the 250 prisoners freed on March 19 following Alaksandar Łukašenka’s talks with John Coale, US special envoy for Belarus.
The liberation of journalist Kaciaryna Bachvałava (Andrejeva), blogger Eduard Palčys, and analyst Valeryja Kaściuhova has been confirmed to date. Bachvałava and Palčys were taken to Lithuania, while Kaściuhova was reportedly allowed to remain in Belarus.
The 2025 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by RSF, ranked Belarus 166th of 180 assessed countries and territories.
Association calls for more attention to Belarus as authorities step up persecution of journalists
- EconomyBelarus’ new car sales up 2 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityBelarusian military command learning advanced troop deployment, underground warfare tacticsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyLithuania arrests two suspected of smuggling cigarettes from Belarus by airThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarus’ border guards seize toy helicopter, drone at Polish borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyEnvoy invites Slovak business executives to visit Belarus in 2027The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsOpposition politician expects Latvian MPs to form For a Democratic Belarus groupThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecuritySecretary general touts OSCE as “platform for dialogue” during Minsk visitThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityEuropean Court of Human Rights to rule on pushback complaints against Poland, Latvia and LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Society, SportCanada to bar Belarusian, Russian ice hockey players from junior tournamentThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SecurityGerman troops in Lithuania scanning for new air defense radars in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsBelarus’ gold and foreign exchange reserves down 2.6 percent in OctoberThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPoland may extend validity period of its travel document for foreigners to two yearsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus must be on agenda of Ukraine peace talks, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyCouncil of Europe experts point to flaws in Belarus’ system to combat human traffickingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, Germany news, SocietyBelarus arrests local Bayer employees on tax evasion chargesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLavrov rules out engagement with EU, Ryžankoŭ urges Brussels to end self-isolationThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsVilnius rules out Belarus sanctions review without policy shift in MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyCichanoŭskaja congratulates former Lithuania President Adamkus on 100th birthdayThe material is available only to POZIRK+


