2023-07-12 14:22 update: 2023-07-13, 20:48
Photo PAP/Rafał Guz
A Polish Press Agency (PAP) correspondent has been barred from entering Belarus for five years.
Justyna Prus had worked for PAP in Belarus since 2016 reporting on political and social issues including the 2020 protests against the presidential election results and the 2021 migration crisis.
During her time in the country she had had the required accreditation from the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Despite this, Belarus's State Security Service has now decided to ban her from the country.
Prus received the banning document from the Belarusian border services. The notification gave no reason for the ban, citing only the legal basis permitting foreign nationals to be in Belarus.
On July 1, the Minsk authorities announced that President Alexander Lukashenko had signed a law providing for media to be barred from countries carrying out "unfriendly activities" against Belarusian media.
Journalist organisations have said Belarus is currently one of the most dangerous countries for reporters to operate in.
Following the protests in 2020 and 2021, the authorities eliminated independent Belarusian media and many journalists left the country. Thirty four Belarusian journalists are currently in detention on various charges. (PAP)
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