Belarus convicts a journalist and sentences him to 3.5 years in prison
- TALLINN, Estonia -- A court in Belarus has convicted a journalist and sentenced him to 3 1/2 years in prison in the latest step against free speech in the country, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reported Thursday.
- Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
- Pazniak has also been ordered to pay a fine, roughly equivalent to $8,500.
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- TALLINN, Estonia -- A court in Belarus has convicted a journalist and sentenced him to 3 1/2 years in prison in the latest step against free speech in the country, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reported Thursday.
- Kiryl Pazniak, 49, who hosted a popular political show on YouTube, has been convicted on the charges of discrediting Belarus and forming an extremist organization, the group said — accusations widely used by authorities to stifle critical voices.
- Pazniak has also been ordered to pay a fine, roughly equivalent to $8,500.
Sources: ABC News