The article discusses the current situation in Belarus, a country that has been ruled by authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko since 1994. The main points of the article are:
* In absentia trials have become increasingly common in Belarus, with 112 opposition figures sentenced to prison terms after being tried without their presence.
* Prominent opposition leaders like Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her advisors Aliaksandr Dabravolski and Franak Viachorka were given lengthy prison sentences, which come with fines that can lead to the arrest of the convict’s property.
* Iryna Leushyna, the chief editor of BelaPAN, was released from prison after serving a four-year sentence for alleged “creation of an extremist formation.” She described the sentence as “utter delirium.”
* Belarus remains ranked 167th out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index due to its harsh treatment of journalists and media professionals.
* The country’s press freedom situation is further exacerbated by the fact that 450-500 media professionals have been forced to flee the country.
* UNESCO added Belarusian Vytsinanka, a traditional art of cutting out paper decorations, to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The article also highlights the difficulties faced by journalists in Belarus, where giving interviews to independent media can lead to criminal prosecution. The fact that 38 media workers are currently behind bars and 450-500 have fled the country underscores the dire situation for press freedom in Belarus.