On December 8, 2021, investigative journalist and editor-in-chief of the Belarusian online publication \u201cEjednevnik\u201d (EJ.BY) Siarhei Satsuk was again detained. On the same day, his home was searched and he himself was interrogated by the Investigative Committee. The ej.by website was blocked.<\/p>\n
After being interrogated in an old case under Article 430 of the Criminal Code (taking bribe), Siarhei Satsuk was taken into custody. He was placed in the pre-trial detention center no. 1 on Valadarskaha Street in Minsk.<\/p>\n
Earlier, on March 25, 2020, Siarhei Satsuk was already detained within the frames of the same case. On March 26, 2020, he was taken into custody. On March 26 and 27, searches were carried out in the \u201cEjednevnik\u201d office and in the journalist\u2019s home. Following the arrest and detention of Siarhei Satsuk, human rights organizations adopted Statement<\/a>, in which journalist\u2019s detention and imprisonment within the frames of the criminal case preliminary investigation were recognized as disproportionate and excessive measures. This was considered as a politically motivated persecution of the journalist, aimed at forcing him to stop or change his activities in the sphere of disseminating information about corruption. The Statement included the demand of Siarhei Satsuk\u2019s immediate release from custody.<\/p>\n On April 4, 2020, the Prosecutor General of Belarus revoked the decision on Siarhei Satsuk\u2019s imprisonment.<\/p>\n Siarhei Satsuk is known as an investigative journalist and editor. One of his high-profile investigations was a series of publications on corruption in the health care system of Belarus. A few days before Siarhei Satsuk\u2019s detention, \u201cEjednevnik\u201d started covering the cases of Belarusian \u201cterrorists\u201d.<\/p>\n We, the undersigned organizations, consider all these actions in relation to journalist Siarhei Satsuk as a continuation of the targeted policy of the authorities to limit the dissemination of uncensored information in the country and a continuation of the attack on freedom of speech. As of today, dozens of NGO and media websites have been blocked in Belarus, issuance of a number of printed media has been stopped, journalists and employees of the Belarusian media sector have been imprisoned.<\/p>\n Given the circumstances, we believe that criminal prosecution of Siarhei Satsuk is politically motivated and aimed at stopping or changing the nature of his legitimate public activities in the sphere of non-violent exercise of freedom of expression and dissemination of information.<\/p>\n