human rights defender

Kiryl Pazniak

HRD's year of birth

1977

HRD's Gender

Man

Type of HRD

  • Journalist/Blogger

HRD's thematic area of engagement

  • Civil and political rights

HRD's geographical origin

Urban

Current Status

In prison (sentenced)

HRD's bio and work

Kiryl Pazniak, a journalist, was detained on September 4, 2025, the same day the YouTube channel “Platforma 375” was officially designated an “extremist formation.”

Detained since

Sep 4, 2025

Sentence

Kiryl was detained on September 4, 2025, the same day the YouTube channel “Platforma 375” was officially designated an “extremist formation.”

From 2021 to 2022, the channel hosted a series of debates between pro-government propagandists and opposition figures in exile. Kiryl Pazniak was one of the moderators of these debates.

Geolocation of detention

Country or area of detention

Region of detention

  • Europe: Eastern Europe

Location of detention - City/Town

v. Pashkovichy

Location of detention - Facility

Pre-trial detention center No. 1. 223016, Navadvorski selsavet, 143/4, v. Pashkovichy, Minsk rajon, Minsk voblast

Recent case update / evolution

On June 26, 2026, the Minsk City Court handed down sentences to Kiryl and his daughter Yanina. The journalist was sentenced to three and a half years in prison. It is not yet known how long his daughter will be required to serve behind bars. The prosecution had requested prison terms of three and a half years for the father and three years for the daughter, respectively.

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