A prominent journalist in Belarus has been designated a political prisoner by the country's leading human rights group. Ihar Karnei, a former writer for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was sentenced to three years in prison on charges of participating in an extremist group. The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an independent journalist group advocating for freedom of speech, has also been labeled extremist by President Alexander Lukashenko's government.
During his trial, Karnei was accused of collaborating with BAJ to publish materials deemed insulting to the government. The head of BAJ, Andrei Bastunets, condemned the verdict, stating that it reflects the government's crackdown on journalists simply doing their job. Karnei is one of 34 Belarusian journalists currently imprisoned or awaiting trial.
