Former BelaPAN Editor-In-Chief Iryna Leushyna Released

She has served her entire sentence.

Former BelaPAN Editor-in-Chief Iryna Leushyna has been released, BAJ reports.

She has served her entire sentence. According to the Viasna human rights center, Leushyna was released on December 7.

Iryna Leushyna was detained on August 18, 2021. She was charged under Part 1 of Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code — with creating or leading an “extremist formation.” The authorities recognized the BelaPAN news agency as an “extremist formation” only three months after Leushyna’s detention.

The trial in the “BelaPAN case” began on June 6, 2022, in the Minsk Regional Court and lasted four months. Judge Vyachaslau Tuleyka handed down the verdict on October 6: Iryna Leushyna was sentenced to 4 years of imprisonment in a general regime penal colony.

Also, in the “BelaPAN case”, the following sentences were handed down: journalist and media manager Andrei Aliaksandrau — 14 years in prison; his wife Iryna Zlobina — 9 years in prison; former BelaPAN director Dzmitry Navazhylau — 6 years in prison.

In early 2023, the Supreme Court considered the appeal of the defendants in the “BelaPAN case”. Judge Andrei Kavalchuk upheld the sentences. Soon after, Iryna Leushyna was transferred to women's penal colony #4 in Homel.

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