Belarusian journalist faces up to 6 years in prison for opposition reporting

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A prominent Belarusian journalist is facing up to six years in prison as part of the government’s years-long crackdown on independent media and human rights activists. Pavel Mazheika appeared in court Monday charged with assisting extremist activity. The veteran reporter was detained in August 2022 for his work covering Belarus’ persecuted political opposition. Mazheika appeared in the dock alongside lawyer Yuliya Yurhilevich, who was accused of giving him information to disseminate. The trial is the latest in a string of court cases targeting Belarusian journalists and civil society activists. The crackdown followed President Alexander Lukashenko’s re-election in 2020, when tens of thousands of protesters flooded the streets to denounce the vote as unfair and undemocratic.