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Belarusian Journalist Ihar Losik Marks Fourth Year in Prison: Opposition Leader Calls for Release
Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has spoken out on the fourth anniversary of journalist Ihar Losik’s arrest, expressing concern over his prolonged detention. Losik, a journalist for RFE/RL, has been held incommunicado for over 480 days as he serves a 15-year sentence on what many have deemed politically motivated charges.
In a recent statement, Tsikhanouskaya highlighted the impact of Losik’s imprisonment on his family, particularly his young daughter Paulina, who is now living with her grandparents. The 32-year-old journalist was arrested in June 2020 and later sentenced in December 2021 on charges related to organizing mass riots and incitement of social hatred, among others.
Losik has denied all charges against him, maintaining that they are politically motivated. He is currently held in a prison in Navapolatsk alongside other political prisoners, including another RFE/RL journalist and a former would-be presidential candidate.
The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has condemned Belarus for violating international human rights law in the case of Losik, stating that his arrest was solely based on his journalistic activities. Despite international calls for his release, including from the U.S. State Department and various human rights organizations, Losik remains behind bars.
His wife, Darya Losik, was also sentenced to prison on charges related to facilitating extremist activity, stemming from her work with a Poland-based TV station deemed extremist by Minsk. Their young daughter is now in the care of Darya’s parents.
As the international community continues to advocate for the release of Ihar Losik and other political prisoners in Belarus, the fate of these individuals remains uncertain. Calls for justice and freedom for those unjustly detained echo around the world as the fight for human rights in Belarus continues.
