Андрей Александров. Фото: baj.media
The “Belarusian Media: Quality, Trust, Standards” conference began in Vilnius on Sept. 18. One of the participants was Andrei Aliaksandrau, one of the founders of the “Volnae Slova” (the “Free Word”) award, who was released from prison two days ago. the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reports.
In his speech, Aliaksandrau thanked Belarusian journalists for continuing to work in the profession.
“I just want to thank you for being here, for being so great. For continuing to work in the profession, for Belarusian journalism continuing,” he said.
Aliaksandrau also thanked the people who supported his family during his imprisonment.
“My father has been working as my ‘press secretary’ lately — and I knew about most of you, about all my friends, colleagues, people I worked with at BAJ and BelaPAN, and that they continue to work. And that is very, very important. It simply let me know every day that everything was fine: people were working, the work was continuing, you could calmly keep making pallets, and you didn’t have to worry about anything,” he said.
“The world did not end with us, and we are not ending either, because we have each other, and some bars are simply a formality. They are just circumstances. But we are stronger than circumstances because we are together. I am very pleased to be in the company of normal people, at least those with hair on their heads. Thank you very much,” Aliaksandrau added.
The conference is discussing the conditions and standards of work for Belarusian media, audience trust, as well as the challenges and achievements of independent outlets. Two panel discussions are scheduled as part of the event: “Quality Journalism Under Restrictions on Freedom of Expression” and “Journalistic Investigations in 2026: Breakthroughs, Questions, Problems.” An award ceremony for the winners of the BAJ “Volnae Slova” competition will take place in the afternoon.
Andrei Aliaksandrau and Iryna Zlobina were detained in January 2021. They married in a pre-trial detention center in September 2022. In early October 2022, Aliaksandrau was sentenced to 14 years in prison, while Iryna Zlobina was sentenced to nine years. Aliaksandrau was accused of creating an “extremist formation,” treason, large-scale tax evasion and preparing citizens to participate in riots over paying fines and lawyers’ fees for people detained during protests. Zlobina was accused of treason and preparing citizens to participate in riots.
At the Navapolatsk penal colony, Aliaksandrau worked in a woodworking shop, making boxes and pallets. Iryna Zlobina sewed T-shirts at a penal colony in Homiel.
Aliaksandrau and Zlobina were among the 25 people released on Sept. 16, 2026, following negotiations between John Coale and Aliaksandr Lukashenka. They were taken out of Belarus to Lithuania.