In Belarus, Radio Svoboda Declared an “Extremist Formation”

Security forces are breaking into journalists’ homes.

On December 23, 2021, Belarus’s Interior Ministry announced a “group of citizens who united through Radio Svoboda’s internet resources” as an “extremist formation.”

Materials that the outlet distributes on its Telegram channel and on YouTube were also declared “extremist.”

President of the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty media corporation Jamie Fly  said that “Radio Svoboda categorically rejects this absurd label.”

Jamie Fly
CEO Radio Free  

We intend to continue providing objective news and information to the Belarusian people, who now more than ever need independent media. Lukashenko’s regime continues to make clear that its disregard for the truth and its efforts to restrict access to independent information know no bounds.

Radio Svoboda subscribers reacted with humor, posting comments such as “Welcome to the club,” “A good motivation to subscribe,” “Finally, official recognition,” “These days, that’s a mark of quality,” “Good start,” “We’ve read it and will keep reading.”

The list of “extremist” outlets already includes several media not controlled by Lukashenko’s regime, including Belsat, BelaPAN, Tut.by, and Zerkalo.io, created by the team of the crushed outlet Zerkalo.

Several Radio Svoboda journalists have faced persecution over the past year and a half. Igor Losik, detained as early as June 25, 2020, was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Right after the outlet was declared “extremist,” security forces broke into the apartment of journalist Oleg Gruzdilovich.

Gruzdilovich’s Detention

On December 23 in Minsk, Belarusian Radio Svoboda journalist Oleg Gruzdilovich was detained. Masked security forces came to his home and broke down the door.

Gruzdilovich is a suspect in a criminal case for organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or for actively participating in them (Article 342 of the Criminal Code). Under this article, he faces up to four years in prison.

In July 2021, security forces raided the Minsk office of Belarusian Radio Svoboda: they broke down doors, seized equipment, and detained several journalists, including Oleg Gruzdilovich. The employees were later released under a written undertaking not to leave the city.

Human rights advocates recognized the detained journalists as political prisoners

In December, blogger and Radio Svoboda freelance new media consultant Igor Losik, who was detained back in June 2020, was sentenced to 15 years in a strict-regime penal colony. 

Losik was tried in the same case as blogger and presidential candidate hopeful Sergei Tikhanovsky, politician Nikolai Statkevich, blogger Vladimir Tsyganovich, and members of Tikhanovsky’s YouTube channel team “Strana dlya Zhizni” (“A Country for Life”).

His relatives were told that a criminal case had been opened against the journalist, but were not told under which article.

The family also learned that the journalist is to be transferred to Minsk Detention Center No. 1. His detention has been extended twice upon the expiration of the previous terms.

The family also learned that the journalist is planned to be transferred to Minsk Investigative Isolation Facility No. 1. His detention has been extended twice, upon the expiry of the previous terms.