March 21, Pozirk. The Homiel Regional Court has pronounced a judgement in a criminal case against former journalist Andrej Tołčyn.
Judge Dźmitryj Kazłoŭ sentenced him to two years and six months in a penal colony, Radyjo Svaboda reported. He was found guilty of defaming the head of state and promoting extremism.
Tołčyn, the founder of the Homiel newspaper Homielskija Viedamaści, cooperated with several other media outlets and was arrested on multiple occasions while doing his journalistic work. He left the profession after the 2020 protests.
Tołčyn was arrested on September 27, 2023. Human rights groups declared him a political prisoner.
According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, authorities are holding 34 members of the media behind bars.
