Belarusian journalist Igor Lednik died in prison, where he was serving a sentence for an article published in 2022, for which he was accused of defaming President Alexander Lukashenko.
Who is
Igor Lednik was a Belarusian journalist and activist, who died in a prison in Mogilev, Belarus, at the age of 64. He was a member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party. His arrest dates back to April 2022.
The sentence
Lednik's articles and his Facebook profile were considered extremist by Belarusian authorities, especially for criticisms of the union between Russia and Belarus and accusations against Lukashenko of wanting to turn the country into a dictatorship.
Initially, he was supposed to serve only 15 days of house arrest, but then he was sentenced to three years in prison for an article published in 2020 in which he attacked the honor and dignity of the head of state.
Health issues
Since his arrest, his health has gradually worsened. He underwent surgery on his digestive system during detention and already suffered from heart problems.
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