Raman Pratasevich
Editor-in-Chief, Belarus Golovnogo Mozga / Ex-editor, NEXTA
Detained: 23 May 2021
Charges: Part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code - Organization of riots;
Art. 342 of the Criminal Code - Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them;
Art. 130 of the Criminal Code - Incitement to hatred
Status: House arrest
Raman Pratasevich is a well-known blogger and journalist based in Poland.
In the summer of 2020, during mass protests against the rigged presidential election, he was the editor-in-chief of the popular opposition Telegram channel NEXTA. After leaving NEXTA, he became the editor-in-chief of the Telegram channel called "Belarus Golovnogo Mozga", previously administered by political prisoner Ihar Losik. Both channels were declared extremist by the Belarusian authorities.
Pratasevich is facing charges under Part 1 of Art. 293 of the Criminal Code (organization of mass riots), Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (organization or active participation in group actions that grossly violate public order) and Part 3 of Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (incitement to social discord).
On May 23, Raman Pratasevich was detained by Belarusian security forces at the Minsk National Airport, following the forced landing of a Ryanair passenger airliner. His girlfriend Sofia Sapega, a student of the European Humanities University, was arbitrarily detained together with Raman Pratasevich.