{"id":2331,"date":"2020-12-15T14:09:24","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T14:09:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiofree.org\/?p=139554"},"modified":"2020-12-15T14:09:24","modified_gmt":"2020-12-15T14:09:24","slug":"belarusian-blogger-starts-hunger-strike-to-protest-new-criminal-charge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2020\/12\/15\/belarusian-blogger-starts-hunger-strike-to-protest-new-criminal-charge\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarusian Blogger Starts Hunger Strike To Protest New Criminal Charge"},"content":{"rendered":"
MINSK — Belarusian blogger Ihar Losik, who has been recognized by rights organizations as a political prisoner, has started a hunger strike<\/a><\/strong> to protest a new charge against him.<\/p>\n Losik’s colleague, blogger Anton Matolka said that Losik was additonally charged on December 15 with helping prepare mass disorder. Losik was initially charged with helping prepare for violations of public order, which has a maximum punishment of three years in prison.<\/p>\n If found guilty of the latest charge, Losik, an RFE\/RL consultant for new media technologies, faces up to eight years in prison.<\/p>\n According to Matolka, Losik started the hunger strike immediately after learning of the additional charge against him.<\/p>\n Losik’s wife, Darya Losik, confirmed to RFE\/RL that her husband was on hunger strike, adding that she was also now on hunger strike to support her husband.<\/p>\nCrisis In Belarus<\/h3>\n