Protests in Belarus revisited & the kidnapping or Roman Protasevich

Last year’s protests in Belarus seemed like a watershed moment that was poised to bring an end to the 26-year rule of president Alexander Lukashenko.  The peaceful demonstrations that started with songs, chants and red-and-white flags were soon met with state-sanctioned violence that saw thousands of people imprisoned and many more fleeing the country. There were widespread reports of beatings, torture and the inhumane treatment of prisoners – those on the outside faced intimidation and the prospect of losing their jobs. The latest news from Belarus that shocked the world was the dramatic abduction of journalist Roman Protasevich, whose Ryanair flight was force-landed in Minsk, creating an international scandal. While he is currently under house arrest, his future looks bleak.  In the latest episode of Trouble with the Truth, Lana Estemirova talks to risk analyst Alex Kokcharov and journalist Hanna Liubakova- about the role of telegram channels in resistance, the fate of Roman Protasevich, whether sanctions work and how crackdown on Belarusian media is complicating the job of reporters. 

Om Podcasten

Trouble with the Truth is the podcast produced by Lana Estemirova in partnership with the Justice for Journalists Foundation. Lana talks to brave and resilient journalists from around the world who face persecution just for doing their job and lets her audience hear voices that usually remain hidden behind the curtain.