January 15, 2021

We are deeply concerned by the ​continuing harassment of Belarusian independent media doing nothing other than their jobs: reporting factual information to their fellow citizens.  This week’s arrest of Andrei Alyaksandrau and yesterday’s ​raid on the BelaPAN news agency ​in search of dubious justifications ​for his arrest are yet more evidence that the authorities continue to be willing to manipulate the law for their own political gains.  A strong independent media and the free exchange of, and access to, information are the right of the Belarusian People and essential for an open and modern society.  We again urge the Belarusian authorities to protect and uphold fundamental freedoms, especially of assembly, speech, and the media.  The Belarusian people deserve a better future.