Two former heads of Baranavichy's Intex-Press sentenced to huge prison terms
On February 26, the Brest Regional Court announced the verdict for the former heads of the Baranavichy news portal BAR24, and formerly of the independent newspaper Intex-Press, Uladzimir Yanukevich and Andrei Pakalenka, writes BAJ.
The trial of the media managers began on February 3, 2026, and was held behind closed doors.
Both were accused of «treason to the state» (Article 356 of the Criminal Code of Belarus). Uladzimir Yanukevich was sentenced by the court to 14 years of imprisonment and a fine of 3000 basic units (135 thousand rubles) in favor of the state, Andrei Pakalenka — 12 years and a fine of 1000 basic units (45 thousand rubles). There is also information about a huge total recovery of about 200 thousand rubles.
The essence of the accusation is unknown.
Uladzimir Yanukevich is 65 years old. He was the director and editor-in-chief of the largest independent regional newspaper Intex-Press. 44-year-old Andrei Pakalenka worked there as deputy director for development. After the publication was liquidated, they, along with their team, created the news website BAR24 (bar24.by).
In December 2024, employees of the new city portal were detained. Security forces searched their homes and the editorial office, seizing equipment. Several people were released, while criminal cases under Article 361‑4 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus («Facilitating extremist activity») were initiated against six detainees, who were placed in pre-trial detention, by order of the Brest Prosecutor's Office.
The BAR24 website was last updated on December 8, 2024. On January 9, 2025, it was still accessible to visitors, but from January 13, 2025, it stopped opening and showed a message «Web-сайт bar24.by временно не обслуживается» (Website bar24.by temporarily out of service).
On November 11, 2025, the names of four convicted BAR24 employees, created by the team of the former Intex-Press — Natallia Semianovich, Mikita Piatrouski, Ruslan Raviaka, and Liudmila Zeliankova — were added to the «List of persons involved in 'extremist' activity,» compiled by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus. All four were sentenced to «home chemistry» — restriction of freedom without placement in a correctional facility, with the obligation to comply with the requirements of a special regime.
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Comments
За озвученную правду о скотном дворе и его распорядителе, дают сроки большие, чем за умышленное убийство.....