4. “Bangladesh: Investigate killing of prominent Rohingya activist free media and independent health Mohib Ullah”, 29 September watchdogs and retaliation against whistle- BELARUS blowers. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION Freedom of expression remained severely Republic of Belarus restricted. Dozens of independent journalists Head of state: Alyaksandr Lukashenka and bloggers were prosecuted and Head of government: Raman Halouchanka imprisoned. More than 480 websites, including those of major national and The rights to freedom of expression, international news media outlets, and over association and peaceful assembly 400 Telegram groups were blocked for their remained severely restricted. Torture and independent reporting and some were other ill-treatment remained endemic and arbitrarily banned as “extremist”. Dozens of were committed with impunity. The justice government critics were imprisoned for system was systematically abused to insulting officials, which remained a crime. suppress dissent. Children’s rights were In March, TUT.by reporter Katsyaryna routinely violated in the criminal justice Barysevich was sentenced to six months in system. Death sentences and executions prison and an extortionate fine on trumped- continued. Migrants suffered abuses at the up charges for uncovering official falsification hands of the authorities. Arbitrary of evidence regarding the November 2020 dismissals and prosecutions of medical killing of artist and peaceful protester Raman professionals adversely affected the quality Bandarenka. and availability of healthcare. In May, the authorities blocked access to BACKGROUND TUT.by for purported “numerous violations of the Mass Media Law”, conducted mass Following the disputed presidential election in searches of its premises across Belarus, and August 2020 and the refusal by the EU and detained 14 members of staff on unfounded the USA, among others, to recognize the charges, including tax evasion. On 13 incumbent Alyaksandr Lukashenka as the August, TUT.by and its mirror site, Zerkalo.io, elected president, the country faced growing were declared “extremist”, criminalizing international isolation, with further sanctions dissemination of their materials. introduced against its leadership. At the end of the year, 32 journalists The Belarusian authorities facilitated the remained jailed for their independent work. transit of people from refugee- and migrant- On 23 May, exiled journalist and blogger sending countries to Belarus and pushed Raman Pratasevich and his partner Sofia them towards the EU, implementing Sapega were arrested after their flight from Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s threat to “stop Greece to Lithuania was forced to land in the protecting” its borders from refugees. Belarusian capital, Minsk, following a Allegations repeatedly emerged suggesting manifestly false bomb alert. Both were held the authorities were pursuing dissenting incommunicado for several days and charged voices in exile, including by deadly means. arbitrarily with inciting mass riots and “gross Around half of the population was violation of public order”; Raman Pratasevich vaccinated against Covid-19, including nearly was additionally charged with “incitement of 40% with two doses; available vaccines social hatred”. He appeared on television exceeded the uptake. The number of three times to “confess” and testify against officially reported pandemic-related deaths others, and to give assurances he was not exceeded 5,500, but the real number may being ill-treated, although the first video have been considerably higher, due to showed possible injuries. He and Sofia deliberate under-reporting, the absence of Sapega were then moved to an undisclosed Amnesty International Report 2021/22 89