OREANDA-NEWS. Belarusian journalist and media manager Andrey Alexandrov was charged with a new charge under Part 1 of Article 356 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus on «treason to the state». This was reported by the Belarusian Association of Journalists on Wednesday, June 30.

Alexandrov faces from 7 to 15 years in prison. His lawyer Anton Gashinsky did not specify what exactly the authorities are accusing the reporter of. Earlier, the journalist was charged under parts 1 and 2 of Article 342 on «organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, as well as financing and other material support for such activities». The maximum period of detention under this article is six months. It expires on July 12.

Together with Andrey Alexandrov, on January 12, his girlfriend, Irina Zlobina, was detained. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Alexandrov and Zlobina «since August 2020 have been engaged in financing persons» who took part in the protests in Minsk, including by paying fines and reimbursing funds for being in the detention center for offenders and a temporary detention center.

Alexandrov said that he was engaged in charity work within the framework of the By_help solidarity Fund. According to the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Belarus Gennady Kazakevich, from August 22 to November 9, Alexandrov and Zlobina paid more than 250 fines from By_help funds.

The foundation claimed that after his detention, Alexandrov could have been subjected to torture, threats and intimidation. By_help also said that «any payment of fines is not a crime, and any accusations by any person that it is a crime are absurd».