By Melanie Goodfellow
Belarus: Personal stories from a country in turmoil
Senior International Film Correspondent
The European Film Academy has joined the call for the immediate release of Belarusian filmmaker and activist Andrei Gnyot, who is currently imprisoned in Serbia and is set to be extradited to Belarus. Gnyot has been targeted by the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for his role in the 2020 protests against rigged elections that saw Lukashenko return to power for a sixth term. Officially, Gnyot is wanted on tax evasion charges, but his supporters deny the allegations, saying the charges are politically motivated. The EFA said Gnyot would face “imprisonment, torture and even the death penalty” if returned to Belarus. “Andrei Gnyot is recognised as a political prisoner by international human rights organisations,” the statement said. “The Belarusian regime continues to actively persecute citizens, years after the rigged 2020 presidential election, to crush any expression of dissent. Searches, arrests and torture continue unabated in Belarus. We urge international organizations and human rights groups to call on the Serbian authorities to prevent Andrei Gnyot’s extradition to Belarus and secure his immediate release. Time is of the essence; act now to save Andrei Gnyot.”
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