Author of the documentary book Belarusian Donbas (2020, written together with her husband, journalist Ihar Iljaš). The book reflects the results of a journalist’s investigation into the participation of Belarusians in combat actions in Donbas. Book was banned (included in the list of extremist materials)
The presentation of the book in Belarus took place on February 19, 2020, at the Embassy of Ukraine in Minsk. On March 26, 2021, it was recognized as extremist by the Belarusian authorities.
On December 10, 2020, Belarusian human rights activists recognized Kaciaryna Andrejeva as the Journalist of the Year (together with Darja Čulcova and Kaciaryna Barysievič).
March 10, 2021 — laureate of the Dariusz Fikus Award (together with Darja Čulcova).
April 9, 2021 – laureate of Ales Lipai’s the Honor of Journalism Award (together with Darja Čulcova and Kaciaryna Barysievič).
June 7, 2021 – laureate of the “Axel-Springer-Preis” (together with Darja Čulcova).
June 10, 2021 – laureate of the For Courage in Journalism Award (together with Darja Čulcova).
July 29, 2021 — laureate of the award For Freedom and the Future of the Media (together with Darja Čulcova).
August 12, 2021 — laureate of the Gerd Bucerius’ Free Press of Eastern Europe Awards (together with Darja Čulcova, Kaciaryna Barysievič, et al.)
Uładzimir Niaklajeŭ wrote a poem dedicated to the convicted Kaciaryna Andrejeva.
Kaciaryna Andrejeva was arrested for her journalistic activities for the first time on March 12, 2017, in Orsha for covering a protest against Presidential Decree No. 3 which forced the officially employed and not receiving unemployment benefits to pay a special tax. Kaciaryna Andrejeva spent the night from March 12 to 13, 2017 in the pre-trial detention center, she was charged under Articles 22.9 and 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses (violation of the law on mass media and disobedience to the demands of officials (refusal to finish filming). On March 13, 2017, Kaciaryna Andrejeva was tried in an administrative court and fined 30 basic units.
On November 15, 2020, Kaciaryna Andrejeva was arrested together with journalist Darja Čulcova during the stream from the peaceful action “I’m going out: the march in memory of Raman Bandarenka”. On that day, thousands of people came to the commemoration of the murdered artist Raman Bandarenka. Actions took place in Minsk and other cities; more than 1,000 participants were arrested.
On November 17, Kaciaryna Andrejeva was sentenced to seven days of administrative arrest for participating in an unauthorized event.
After seven days of administrative arrest, the journalists were not released, Kaciaryna Andrejeva and Daria Čulcova were transferred to the detention center in Žodzina, and the term of arrest was extended to February 20.
On February 18, 2021, the Frunzienski District Court in Minsk sentenced Kaciaryna Andrejeva and Daria Čulcova to 2 years of imprisonment in a low-security penal colony. They were found guilty under part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order).
On March 27, 2021, it became known that Kaciaryna Andrejeva had received the status “of prone to extremism” for refusing to admit her guilt before the PC commission, so she was taken under special control. On May 24, 2021, her husband Ihar Iljaš found out that she had been transferred to a women’s colony in Homel to serve her sentence.
On November 24, 2020, she was recognized as a political prisoner.
On July 13, 2022, in the Homel Regional Court, political prisoner journalist and co-author of the non-fiction book “Belarusian Donbas” Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvałava) was sentenced to 8 years in a low-security penal colony. Kaciaryna Andrejeva had already been behind bars for 1 year and 8 months, when a new trial began on June 4 under part 1 of Art. 356 of the Criminal Code (“Treason to the State”). The trial was held behind closed doors, the case is shrouded in secrecy.
At the beginning of October 2022, Kaciaryna was transferred from Pre-trial Detention Center No. 3 to Homel PC No. 4.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs included her in the list of “extremists”.
Mail address: Kaciaryna Bachvałava, PC No. 4, 246035, Homel, vulica Antoškina 3