Journalist Kirill Poznyak And His Daughter Were Sentenced To Prison

• 26.06.2026, 17:43

The father and daughter were charged under two counts.

On June 26, the Minsk City Court handed down sentences to journalist Kirill Poznyak and his daughter Yanina. The "Belsat" television channel learned of this from its sources.

Kirill Poznyak was sentenced to three and a half years in prison, which was the same sentence the prosecution had sought for him. It is not yet clear exactly how long his daughter Yanina will have to spend behind bars, but the prosecution had sought a three-year sentence for her.

In addition, Kirill Poznyak must pay a fine of 550 base units (24,750 rubles). It is not yet known how much his daughter will have to pay.

The father and daughter were charged under two articles—361-1 and 369-1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus—for creating an extremist group and discrediting the Republic of Belarus.

Kirill Poznyak was detained on September 4, 2025. At that time, the KGB declared the YouTube channel “Platform 375” an “extremist group” and labeled the journalist the “organizer” of this “group.” On the same day, human rights activists reported, Kirill Poznyak’s 20-year-old daughter, Yanina Poznyak, was also detained.

The trial of the Poznyaks began on June 17. The first court hearing was scheduled for May 14, but had to be postponed due to the journalist’s serious health condition. While in the detention center on Okrestina Street, Kirill Poznyak contracted COVID-19 and developed severe pneumonia, which led to complications in his lungs. He spent several days on a ventilator. Kirill received treatment at the prison hospital.

Until the verdict takes effect, Kirill Poznyak and his daughter Yanina will remain in the pretrial detention center. The court counted the time spent in custody during the investigation as one day for every one and a half days.