Independent journalist, works for Radio Svaboda.
He was detained on November 25, sentenced to 10 days, but was not released on December 5 and was again given 10 days. But Andrei was not released on December 15 either, receiving another 10 days of arrest. A criminal case was opened against him.
On February 12, 2025, with the help of the US State Department, Elena Movshuk, journalist Andrei Kuznechik and a US citizen whose name has not yet been disclosed were released. They were pardoned by Lukashenko.
Details of the release were revealed to CNN by Chris Smith, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe.
"It was a special operation: we crossed the Belarusian border, met with authorities in Minsk, who handed over three detainees to us. We picked them up and took them through Lithuania." According to Smith, it was a "unilateral gesture" by the Belarusian authorities, seeking to improve relations with the United States.
"Lukashenko received nothing in return," he noted.
