Ex-editor-in-chief of Nexta Telegram channel Roman Protasevich pardoned

Former editor-in-chief of the NEXTA Telegram channel (recognized as extremist and terrorist in Belarus) Roman Protasevich, who was sentenced to eight years in Belarus, has been pardoned. He himself said this transmits agency “BelTA”.

“Literally, I just signed all the relevant documents stating that I was pardoned. This is, of course, just great news,” he said.

Protasevich also expressed gratitude to Belarus and especially to the President of the Republic Alexander Lukashenko for the decision.

According to the current legislation of Belarus, a petition for pardon must be submitted personally by the convicted person addressed to the president. Pardon can be a replacement of punishment for a milder term, full or partial release from serving both the main and additional punishment, as well as conditional release from punishment.

Protasevich was detained in May 2021 when the Belarusian authorities forced the plane he was on board to land at the Minsk airport. May 3 sentenced to eight years in prison. The court found him guilty of plotting to seize power.

Together with him, Russian woman Sofya Sapega was detained on board the plane, in May 2022 her sentenced to six years in prison for inciting hatred and illegal actions with the personal data of security forces and officials of the country. In the summer of 2022, Sapieha filed a petition for pardon in the name of Lukashenko, but was refused. Later, the administration of the President of Belarus explained this by the fact that the criteria for such a decision were not enough. In particular, Sapieha has not yet served “at least half of the term.”

On April 12, it became known that the convicted Russian woman agreed for extradition to Russia for possible further punishment. On April 14, the Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus gave preliminary consent to Sapieha’s extradition to Russia. The issue of extradition should be reviewed May 24 at the Presnensky Court.

Supreme Court of Belarus acknowledged The NEXTA Telegram channel, together with its divisions NEXTA Live and Luxta, were terrorist organizations and banned their activities in the country at the beginning of April 2022. The channel actively covered and coordinated the protests in Belarus in the summer and autumn of 2020. In October of the same year, the NEXTA Telegram channel Live and its logo were recognized as extremist materials. The decision was made in connection with the discovery in the videos and publications of the channel “signs of extremist activity, expressed in public calls for mass riots.”