10/10/2022 (Agence Europe) – On Friday 7 October an EEAS spokesperson condemned the sentences of media director Andrei Aleksandrov to 14 years in prison, his wife Irina Zlobina to nine years, the director of the BelaPAN agency Dmitry Novozhilov to six years, and the editor-in-chief and director of BelaPAN Irina Levshina to four years. “These harsh verdicts, are yet another proof that the Lukashenko regime is actively targeting independent media aiming to eliminate independent voices in the country, exterminate free media and deny the population in Belarus access to impartial and independent information”, he said in a statement. He reiterated the EU’s demand for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and urged Belarus to put an end to persistent human rights violations. (CG)