Belarusian authorities have arrested journalist Ihar Karnei in the country’s capital, Minsk, who wrote for the US-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), the Belarusian Association of Journalists revealed.
The 55-year-old journalist was arrested on Monday, his apartment was searched and police seized phones and computers, his daughter Polina told The Associated Press.
The authorities have not provided an explanation for the arrest and searches, the news agency said, recalling that RFE/RL radio has been labeled extremist in Belarus and that working or distributing its content is punishable by imprisonment of up to seven years. .
The Belarusian human rights organization Viasna reported that Ihar Karnei was placed in the pre-trial detention center in Akrestina, known for poor conditions and torture of prisoners, and that neither lawyers nor relatives have access to the journalist.
A total of 36 journalists are detained in Belarus.
Ihar Karnei was detained several times while covering the protests and, unlike other colleagues, remained despite the crackdown in Belarus.
Source: DN
