The European Film Academy has joined calls for the immediate release of Belarusian filmmaker and activist Andrei Gnyot, who is currently imprisoned in Serbia and faces imminent extradition to Belarus.
Gnyot has fallen foul of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime for his role in 2020 demonstrations opposing rigged elections which put Lukashenko back in power for a sixth term.
Officially, Gnyot is wanted for tax evasion but his supporters refute the accusations, saying the charges are politically motivated.
The EFA said Gnyot faced “imprisonment, torture and even the death penalty” if returned to Belarus. “Andrei Gnyot is recognised by international human rights organisations as a political prisoner,” read its statement. “The Belarusian regime continues to persecute active citizens years after the rigged presidential elections in 2020 to destroy any manifestation of dissent.
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