Exiled Belarusian journalists face property seizures amid ongoing government crackdown
Hanna Zlatkouskaya left Belarus in November 2020. Recently, it became known that a criminal case was opened against the columnist. Her mother’s apartment was also searched.
On October 8, security forces in Minsk searched the apartment of the mother of journalist and columnist Hanna Zlatkouskaya. She reported this on her Facebook page.
On the same day, it was revealed that a criminal case had been initiated against Zlatkouskaya in Belarus and that her property – in particular, her cottage – had been seized. The article under which the journalist is being prosecuted and the nature of the charges remain unknown.
“A criminal case has been opened against me. I am registered at my mother’s apartment, which is probably why they came to search her place. Although maybe they just come to search the homes of close relatives, regardless of whether the person under investigation is registered there or not,” Hanna Zlatkouskaya told the BAJ monitoring service.
“They haven’t told my mother what this criminal case is about. According to them, they can only tell me. The authorities probably know that I am in Lithuania. How they plan to inform me personally, I do not know. I am thinking of calling them, but I doubt it will help. More likely, they will politely suggest that I come back, promising to explain everything in person,” Hanna Zlatkouskaya said ironically.
“The summer cottage, which was seized by order of the Investigative Committee, is my only real estate,” Hanna said. “It seems they are taking everything they can. It’s been seized, and I don’t know what will happen next. It’s a real hardship, of course. My mother spends every season in this summer cottage; it’s her only refuge in all of this. And so much effort has been put into it. I’m afraid to even think about it being taken away.”
Hanna Zlatkouskaya is a writer, journalist, and columnist. She is the author of two books: “Scared to Live, Mom” and “Butterfly Hunting”. She has collaborated with a number of independent media outlets and media projects.
A similar incident recently occurred with another Belarusian journalist. The family residence of Aliaksei Dzikavitski, acting director of Belsat, has been sequestered in Belarus, according to a report from the TV channel.