Katsyaryna Andreeva

Katsyaryna Andreeva
Кацярына Андрэева
Born (1993-11-02) November 2, 1993 (age 33)
Minsk, Belarus
OccupationJournalist
SpouseIhar Ilyash
Awards Medal of the Order of the Pahonia

Katsyaryna Andreeva (Belarusian: Кацярына Андрэева; Russian: Катерина Андреева; real name: Katsyaryna Andreevna Bakhvalava; Belarusian: Кацярына Андрэеўна Бахвалава; born November 2, 1993) is a Belarusian journalist. She worked for the television network Belsat TV.

At Minsk's Square of Changes, she broadcast Raman Bandarenka being beaten to death on November 15, 2020. She was arrested on site and sentenced to two years in prison. In 2022, she was further sentenced to an additional eight years in prison on charges of "state treason", which Amnesty International called "bogus." She was pardoned and de facto exiled to Lithuania in March 2026 as part of a deal between Belarus and the United States to ease sanctions.

Early life and career

Andreeva was born in Minsk to a family of journalists. She studied for about two and a half years in Minsk State Linguistic University before moving to Spain where she taught English for two years. Then she came back home and worked for the newspaper Nasha Niva as a journalist. In 2017, she began working for Belsat TV.

Andreeva and Ihar Ilyash wrote the book Belarusian Donbas in 2020. The book is about how the Belarusian people and organizations take part in the war in Donbas on the side of Russian separatist forces. The Belarusian regime deemed it to be extremist and banned the book and its content countrywide via court decision in 2021.

Andreeva was first arrested in 2017 in Orsha. On September 12, 2020, she was arrested by OMON for a live broadcast of a women's march in Minsk and was imprisoned for three days.

Criminal procedure

Alongside fellow journalist Darya Chultsova, she was a suspect in a criminal case on organizing actions that attack public order. On November 15, 2020, in Minsk, they both broadcasted a raid conducted by the Militsiya and its affiliates at the Square of Changes—the place where Raman Bandarenka was beaten to death. She was arrested at the square and was moved to a prison in Zhodzina, where she was held until her court trial. On November 24, 2020, ten organizations, including the Viasna Human Rights Centre, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, made a joint statement and recognized her as a political prisoner.

At a Minsk court hearing led by judge Natalia Buguk on February 18, 2021, Andreeva and Chultsova were sentenced to two years in prison for pushing 2020 Belarusian protests. The public prosecutor was Alina Kasyanchyk, and the investigator was Ihar Kurylovich. On April 23, 2021, Minsk City Court declined an appeal on the sentence.

In 2022, Andreeva was sentenced to additional eight years in prison on charges of "state treason," which Amnesty International called "bogus."

Reaction

On February 8, 2021, the US Embassy in Belarus made a statement, asking to make Chultsova and Andreeva free.

On February 4, 2021, godparenthood for the political prisoner was undertaken by Delara Burkhardt, a Member of the European Parliament. Following the sentencing, on February 18, 2021, the President of Poland Andrzej Duda made a public call for amnesty for Chultsova and Andreeva.

In accordance with the decision of the Council of the European Union on June 21, 2021, judge Natalia Buguk was included in the list of people and organizations sanctioned in relation to human rights violations in Belarus for, among other things, “numerous politically motivated rulings against journalists and protesters, in particular the sentencing of Katsyaryna Bakhvalava (Andreyeva) and Darya Chultsova” and violations of rights of defence and to a fair trial. By the same decision, the Assistant Prosecutor at the Frunzyenski District Court of Minsk Alina Kasyanchyk was included in the sanctions list. She was held responsible, among other things, for prosecuting journalists for “recording peaceful protests, based on the groundless charges of ‛conspiracy’ and ‛violating public order.’” Senior investigator of the Frunzyenski District Department of the Investigative Committee Ihar Kurylovich was put on the list too for, among other things, preparing a politically motivated criminal case against the journalists who recorded peaceful protests.

Awards

On December 10, 2020, she was named Journalist of the Year (2020).

On March 10, 2021, she got the Award named after Dariusz Fikus by the Press Club Polska.

Together with Darya Chultsova and Katsiaryna Barysevich, on April 9, 2021, she got the Ales Lipay (the founder of BelaPAN) Award "Honor of Journalism."

Together with Darya Chultsova on June 7, 2021, she got the Axel-Springer-Preis.

Together with Darya Chultsova on June 10, 2021, she got the Courage in Journalism Award, a prize by the International Women's Media Foundation.

Together with Darya Chultsova on July 29, 2021, she was named the winner of the Preis für die Freiheit und Zukunft der Medien [de] (a German award in the field of freedom of the press).

Together with Darya Chultsova, Katsiaryna Barysevich, and others, on August 12, 2021, she got the Free Media Award.

Together with Darya Chultsova on October 15, 2021, she got the Prix Europa in the category of the "European Journalist of 2021."

In March 2023, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of the Pahonia.

Appraisal

"[They are] strong in spirit, have no doubt in the right [of them], supported by friends, colleagues and the people that they do not know at all – such Katya and Dasha will be put in textbooks," wrote Aksana Kolb, editor-in-chief of Novy Chas, on the eve of their sentencing.

Personal life

She married journalist Ihar Ilyash in 2016.

Books

References

  1. 1 2 "Belarus: Immediately release journalist sentenced to eight years on bogus "state treason" charges". Amnesty International. July 13, 2022. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Belarusian journalist sentenced to more than eight years in prison". Euronews. July 13, 2022. Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ↑ Karmanau, Yuras (March 19, 2026). "Belarus releases 250 political prisoners in a deal with the US to lift some sanctions". Associated Press. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 Панкавец, Зміцер (November 21, 2020). "Хто такая журналістка Кацярына Андрэева? Расказваюць яе муж і дзядуля" (in Belarusian). Nasha Niva.
  5. ↑ "В Минске судили книгу "Белорусский Донбасс". Признали экстремистской" (in Russian). Belsat TV. March 26, 2021. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  6. 1 2 Styrczula, Antoni (February 5, 2021). "Mąż aresztowanej reporterki Biełsatu: "To tak bolesne nie móc przytulić ukochanej osoby"" (in Polish). Belsat TV. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  7. ↑ Mary, Ilyushina (February 18, 2021). "Two journalists, 23 and 27, get two years in jail for live-streaming a protest in Belarus". CNN. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Belarus jails two journalists who covered Lukashenko protest". The Guardian. February 18, 2021. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ "Two Belarusian journalists sentenced to two years in prison for doing their job". European Federation of Journalists. February 18, 2021. Archived from the original on February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Правозащитники признали политзаключенными журналисток Борисевич, Андрееву и Чульцову" (in Russian). BelaPAN. November 24, 2020. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ "Правозащитники признали журналисток Катерину Борисевич, Катерину Андрееву и Дарью Чульцову политзаключенными". Медиазона Беларусь (in Russian). MediaZona. Archived from the original on November 24, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Журналисток TUT.BY и "Белсат" правозащитники назвали политзаключенными" (in Russian). TUT.BY. November 24, 2020. Archived from the original on December 9, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  13. ↑ Спевак, Дарья (February 18, 2021). "Журналисток "Белсата" приговорили к 2 годам лишения свободы". Onliner.by (in Russian). ex-press.by. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  14. ↑ Свабода, Радыё (February 18, 2021). "Журналістак "Белсату" Андрэеву і Чульцову пакаралі 2 гадамі турмы за стрым з "плошчы Перамен". ФОТА і ВІДЭА". Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2021/997 Archived November 6, 2023, at the Wayback Machine – EUR-Lex, 21.06.2021
  16. ↑ "Суд пакінуў без зменаў вырак Кацярыне Андрэевай і Дар'і Чульцовай. Каці і Дашы ў зале не было" (in Belarusian). Belsat TV. April 23, 2021. Archived from the original on April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
  17. ↑ Свабода, Радыё (February 8, 2021). "ЗША заклікалі вызваліць журналістак Кацярыну Андрэеву і Дар'ю Чульцову перад судом". Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved March 16, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  18. ↑ "Members of Parliament from Switzerland, Germany and Ireland take over godparenthood for Yuliya Slutskaya, Katsiaryna Andreyeva and Vitold Ashurak". Libereco. February 4, 2021. Archived from the original on February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  19. ↑ Свабода, Радыё (February 18, 2021). "Польскі прэзыдэнт заклікаў улады Беларусі амніставаць асуджаных журналістак "Белсату"". Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Названы лауреаты Национальной правозащитной премии" (in Russian). Viasna Human Rights Centre. December 10, 2020. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Есть такая профессия! "Журналистами года" правозащитники пр". Belarusian Partisan (in Russian). December 10, 2020. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  22. ↑ ""Журналистами года" правозащитники назвали трех арестованных по уголовным делам журналисток, в том числе и Катерину Борисевич". Tut.By (in Russian). December 10, 2020. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Кацярына Андрэева і Дар'я Чульцова сталі лаўрэаткамі прэміі імя Дар'юша Фікуса" (in Belarusian). Будзьма беларусамі!. March 10, 2021. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Катерина Борисевич, Катерина Андреева и Дарья Чульцова удостоены премии "Гонар журналістыкі"". Brestskaya Gazeta (in Russian). Brestskaya Gazeta. April 9, 2021. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Axel-Springer-Preis an Nachwuchsjournalisten verliehen". Die Welt (in German). June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 8, 2021. Retrieved June 8, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Журналистки Андреева и Чульцова стали лауреатами журналистской премии за мужество" (in Russian). Charter 97. June 10, 2021. Retrieved June 10, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  27. ↑ "- Leipziger Medienpreis geht an belarussische Journalistinnen". Deutschlandfunk Kultur (in German). Deutschlandfunk Kultur. July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  28. ↑ ""Zeichen der Ermutigung" nach Belarus" (in German). Medienstiftung der Sparkasse Leipzig. July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  29. ↑ Кепински, Ольга (August 12, 2021). "Все награды Free Media Awards присуждены белорусским журналистам" (in Russian). Euronews. Retrieved August 12, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  30. ↑ Ik, Adom (October 16, 2021). "Kaciaryna Andrejewa i Daria Czulcowa europejskim dziennikarzem roku" (in Polish). TVP Info. Retrieved October 17, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  31. ↑ "PRIX EUROPA 2021 European Journalist of the Year 2021". Prix Europa. October 15, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  32. ↑ "Рада БНР узнагародзіла Медалём Ордэну «Пагоні» шэраг беларусаў. Белсат онлайн - Belsat TV". Belsat TV. March 25, 2023. Archived from the original on February 28, 2024. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  33. ↑ Колб, Аксана (February 12, 2021). "Помста за праўду". Novy Chas (in Belarusian). 6 (714): 1.