Belarus: RSF welcomes the release of nine arbitrarily detained journalists
12 September 2025
Nine Belarusian journalists — including Ihar Losik of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, detained for more than five years — have been freed after spending months — in some cases years — in prison simply for doing their jobs. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes this decision but condemns their expulsion to Lithuania and urges the authorities to also release the 33 other media professionals still behind bars.
“RSF welcomes the release of nine Belarusian journalists, even though they should never have spent a single day behind bars. Their only ‘crime’ was practising journalism and defending the right to reliable information. We regret, however, that they were forced into exile in Lithuania instead of being able to work freely in their own country. Their courage commands admiration — they defied a crackdown that has almost eradicated independent media in Belarus. RSF reiterates that 33 other journalists and media professionals remain imprisoned, and demands the Belarusian authorities to free them without delay and guarantee their right to inform.
Those released include Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty contributor Ihar Losik (detained since June 2020) and several journalists from the Polish‑based exiled channel Belsat TV: Iryna Slaunikava (arrested in October 2021), Larysa Shchyrakova (December 2022), Yauhen Merkis (September 2022) and Viachaslau Lazarau (February 2023). Also freed were Aliaksandr Mantsevich, editor‑in‑chief of Rehiianalnaia Hazeta (March 2023), and journalists who contributed to several independent outlets — Pavel Mazheika (August 2022), Pavel Padabed (January 2023) and Alena Tsimashchuk (arrested before June 2024).
All had been convicted or prosecuted for their journalistic work in a country where almost all independent media have been silenced since the 2020 presidential election, as journalists have been imprisoned or driven into exile. Their release took place as part of talks with the US administration that led to the release of 52 political prisoners on 11 September 2025.
See the RSF portraits of the Belarusian journalists wrongfully held behind bars.
@bajmedia
