Иллюстративное фото: УВД Минского облисполкома
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) said it has received numerous reports over the past two months of pressure being exerted on the parents, relatives and acquaintances of journalists who were forced to leave Belarus.
At least 15 such cases have been documented across Belarus in recent weeks. Relatives of journalists have been visited by representatives of various security agencies, including local police officers, officers of the KGB and the Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption (GUBOPiK).
The visits have most often focused on relatives who have moved abroad, including questions about their whereabouts, whom they remain in contact with, and who is registered or living at their former address. In some cases, searches and inspections of premises were carried out, and people were summoned for questioning. Several individuals were forced to provide saliva samples for genetic analysis.
According to BAJ Deputy Chair and lawyer Aleh Aheyeu, pressure on the relatives of journalists who left the country has continued since the start of the repression following the 2020 presidential election.
“As soon as people began leaving the country because of politically motivated pressure, the Belarusian state immediately began transnational persecution,” he said.
According to Aheyeu, whereas security officers previously focused mainly on determining the whereabouts of people who had left Belarus, new forms of pressure have now emerged, including demands for genetic material. He also noted that security officers may visit relatives not only at home but also at their workplaces, creating additional difficulties for them.
“This is politically motivated. And it demonstrates that repression in Belarus has not stopped. It is happening because the authorities feel they face enormous difficulties in maintaining their grip on power. They are constantly looking for new forms of pressure: through criminal cases, torture and forced expulsion from Belarus,” Aheyeu said.
He recommended minimizing potential risks by avoiding keeping materials at home that the authorities could classify as “extremist” and by refraining from confrontation or attempts to persuade investigators during questioning.
According to BAJ, about 100 Belarusian journalists and bloggers have been placed on an interstate wanted list, indicating that criminal cases have been opened against them in Belarus.