Key facts
- Kiryl Pazniak, 49, was convicted of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization.
- Pazniak was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison and fined approximately $8,500.
- He was arrested in September 2025 and has reportedly become seriously ill in prison.
- Human rights groups have designated Pazniak a political prisoner.
- Belarus continues to crack down on dissent, with 21 journalists currently imprisoned.
- Belarusian media outlets in exile are facing DDoS attacks.
A court in Belarus has convicted journalist Kiryl Pazniak, sentencing him to 3 1/2 years in prison and ordering him to pay a fine of approximately $8,500. Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, was found guilty of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, accusations frequently used by authorities to suppress critical voices. He was arrested in September 2025.
Pazniak has reportedly fallen seriously ill in prison, suffering from pneumonia and COVID-19, and was transferred to a prison hospital in serious condition. Human rights defenders have designated him a political prisoner.
Belarusian authorities have continued their crackdown on dissent, with 863 political prisoners currently in the country, according to the Viasna human rights center. The Belarusian Association of Journalists stated that repressions against journalists are ongoing and the situation for freedom of speech remains dire in Europe. A total of 21 journalists remain imprisoned in Belarus.
Exiled Belarusian media outlets have also faced regular DDoS attacks, which overload their websites. The Committee to Protect Journalists noted that these attacks may be aimed at suppressing reporting on sensitive political topics, including those related to Belarus' exiled opposition.