Dmitry Novozhilov, Director Of Belapan, Has Been Released

The journalist was detained on August 18, 2021.

Dmitry Novozhilov — former director of the Belapan news agency.

He was detained on August 18, 2021, following a search and interrogation at the Investigative Committee. He was charged under Part 2 of Article 243 of the Criminal Code (tax evasion). On November 18, 2021, it was reported that Dmitry Novozhilov and Belapan Director Irina Levshina had also been charged with “forming an extremist group.”

On April 4, it was reported that the criminal case had been referred to court. Dmitry Novozhilov was charged under Part 1 of Article 361-1 (participation in an extremist group) and Part 2 of Article 243 (Evasion of taxes and fees) of the Criminal Code.

The trial in the “Belapan case” began on June 6, 2022, and lasted exactly four months.

On October 6, the sentences were handed down: journalist and media manager Andrei Aleksandrov was sentenced to 14 years in a penal colony, his wife Irina Zlobina was sentenced to 9 years in a penal colony; Belapan’s editor-in-chief and director, Irina Levshina, was sentenced to 4 years in a penal colony; and the agency’s former director, Dmitry Novozhilov, was sentenced to 6 years in a penal colony. In addition, the political prisoners were ordered to pay substantial fines; specifically, Novozhilov was fined 700 base units (22,400 rubles).

The sentences were handed down by Judge Vyacheslav Tuleyko.

In February 2023, Dmitry was transferred to Penal Colony No. 3 in Vitba.

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