Belarus: Russian reporter expelled

June 1st, 2011

Russian reporter Rodion Marinichev was yesterday arrested, stripped of his press accreditation and given 24 hours to leave the Belarus. He has been banned from returning to the country for five years. The correspondent, from Russian television station Dozhd, was detained by police just hours after he interviewed Irina Khalip who is serving a two year suspended prison sentence. She is the a correspondent for Novaya Gazeta and the wife of Andrei Sannikov, a former presidential candidate who was recently given a five year prison sentence for “organising and preparing a public order disruption.”

Belarus: Journalists released but under restrictions

February 2nd, 2011

The KGB have released journalists Irina Khalip and Charter 97′s Natalia Radzina but have placed serious restrictions on their movement and activities. Radina has been forced to leave Minsk to the western town of Kobrin and remain there until her case is investigated further, while Khalip — who is married to former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov — is under house arrest and is not allowed to use the phone or access the internet. The two were arrested on December 19 following post-election protests.