Belarusian journalist goes on trial for covering protests, faces up to 6 years in prison

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — A Belarusian journalist has gone on trial on charges linked to his professional work covering protests. It is latest move in a relentless government crackdown on dissent. Photojournalist Alyaksandr Zyankou faces up to six years in prison if convicted on charges of “participation in an extremist group.” Such accusations have been widely used by authorities to target opposition members, civil society activists and independent journalists. Belarusian authorities have cracked down on opponents of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko after huge protests triggered by the August 2020 election that was viewed by the opposition and the West as fraudulent.