Prominent journalist goes on trial in Belarus on charges widely seen as politically motivated

By YURAS KAMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A prominent independent journalist went on trial in Belarus on extremism charges widely seen as politically motivated. Ihar Karnei, who used to work with the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, is accused of participating in an extremist group, which is punishable by up to six years in prison. Journalists and activists in Belarus have faced large-scale repression since the August 2020 vote that handed a sixth term to President Alexander Lukashenko. Following the election, which was rejected as fraudulent by the opposition and the West, Belarus was swept by massive protests, to which the authorities responded by harsh crackdown.