Ihar Losik
{{Short description|Belarusian blogger and journalist}}
{{Family name hatnote|Alyaksandravich|Losik|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Infobox person
| name =Ihar Losik
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| birth_date ={{Birth date and age|df=yes|1992|5|20}}
| birth_place = Baranavichy, Belarus
| known = Blogging
| title =
| nationality = Belarusian
| spouse =
| awards = 50px Medal of the Order of the Pahonia
| website =
| employer =
}}
Ihar Alyaksandravich Losik ({{langx|be|Ігар Аляксандравіч Лосік}}, {{langx|ru|Игорь Александрович Лосик}}, born 20 May 1992) is a Belarusian blogger and consultant of the Belarusian section of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Since June 25, 2020 he has been held in prison by Belarusian authorities. Viasna Human Rights Centre and Amnesty International recognize him as a political prisoner.{{cite web |url=https://prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/ihar-losik |title=Ihar Losik |date= |work=Viasna Human Rights Centre |accessdate=6 March 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/EUR4928142020ENGLISH.pdf |title=BELARUS: A CRIMINAL CASE INVOLVES A GROWING NUMBER OF THE REGIME'S CRITICS |date= 29 July 2020|work=Amnesty International |accessdate=6 July 2021}} p. 1.
Life
Losik graduated from Baranavichy State University in 2015. By specialty he is a philologist, a teacher of a foreign language. However, he did not work by profession. In 2015-2016 he received the Vaclav Havel scholarship.{{Cite web|language=be|url=https://baj.by/be/content/pryyom-zayavak-na-zhurnalisckuyu-stypendyyu-imya-vaclava-gaula-da-11-zhniunya|title=Прыём заявак на журналісцкую стыпэндыю імя Вацлава Гаўла (да 11 жніўня)|website=baj.by|accessdate=2021-02-09|archive-date=2020-10-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201021041126/https://baj.by/be/content/pryyom-zayavak-na-zhurnalisckuyu-stypendyyu-imya-vaclava-gaula-da-11-zhniunya|url-status=dead}} Since 2018, he is the father of a daughter, named Paulina.{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://news.tut.by/society/711656.html|title=Жена политзаключенного Игоря Лосика: "Когда муж увидит дочь, будет в шоке"|website=TUT.BY|date=2020-12-16|accessdate=2021-02-09|archive-date=2021-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210160713/https://news.tut.by/society/711656.html|url-status=dead}}
In 2011, Losik became an administrator of the Revolution through Social Networks movement.{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://nn.by/?c=ar&i=162308&lang=ru|title=Один из героев года — блогер Игорь Лосик @belamova|website=Наша Ніва| date=27 December 2015 |accessdate=2021-02-09}} It was him who had the idea of peaceful, silent protests. After the first successful protests, State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus officers became interested in him. Losik has ceased his participation in the administration of this protest movement.{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://news.tut.by/society/251240.html|title=Акция молчаливого протеста прошла в Беларуси. Хлопки были, задержаний не было|website=TUT.BY|date=2011-09-21|accessdate=2021-02-09|archive-date=2021-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210051631/https://news.tut.by/society/251240.html|url-status=dead}}
Since February 2013, he has been running a Twitter account with the name "RB [Republic of Belarus] of the Brain". Since October 2014, as a social media specialist, he has published articles on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.{{Cite web|url=https://www.svaboda.org/author/%D1%96%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80-%D0%BB%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%96%D0%BA/o-oyqo|title=Ігар Лосік - Пра аўтара РС - Радыё Свабода. Навіны Беларусі {{!}}{{!}} Белорусская служба Радио Свобода. Новости Беларуси|website=www.svaboda.org|accessdate=2021-02-09}} From May 15, 2016, he began to conduct a channel with the name of "RB [Republic of Belarus] of the Brain" on Telegram.{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://news.tut.by/society/690491.html|title=Кто такой Игорь Лосик, которого вчера задержали, и что за Telegram-канал он ведет? Объясняем|website=TUT.BY|date=2020-06-26|accessdate=2021-02-09|archive-date=2021-01-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125165119/https://news.tut.by/society/690491.html|url-status=dead}}
= Arrest in 2020 =
On June 25, 2020, in a house in Baranavichy, after an hour-long search, law enforcement agencies detained Ihar Losik.{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://baj.by/ru/content/u-administratora-telegramm-kanala-rb-golovnogo-mozga-igorya-losika-obysk|title=У администратора Телеграмм-канала "РБ головного мозга" Игоря Лосика — обыск|website=baj.by|accessdate=2021-02-09}} During the search, a laptop, a computer and a telephone were seized. In the evening of the same day, it became known that a criminal case was opened against the blogger under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (Organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them).{{Cite web|language=ru|url=https://baj.by/ru/content/u-administratora-telegramm-kanala-rb-golovnogo-mozga-igorya-losika-obysk|title=У администратора Телеграмм-канала "РБ головного мозга" Игоря Лосика — обыск|website=baj.by|accessdate=2021-02-09}} On 9 July 2021, godparenthood for the political prisoner was taken by Manuel Sarrazin, Member of the German Bundestag.{{Cite web|title=#WeStandBYyou|language=en|publisher=Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights|date=2020-07-09|accessdate=2021-09-09|url=https://www.lphr.org/en/westandbyyou/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721004135/https://www.lphr.org/en/westandbyyou/|archivedate=2021-07-21|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.boell.de/de/2021/01/27/hungerstreik-beendet-solidaritaet-mit-politischen-gefangenen-belarus|title=Hungerstreik beendet: Solidarität mit politischen Gefangenen in Belarus!|accessdate=2021-09-09|website=|publisher=Heinrich Böll Foundation|language=de|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129130709/https://www.boell.de/de/2021/01/27/hungerstreik-beendet-solidaritaet-mit-politischen-gefangenen-belarus|archivedate=2021-01-29|url-status=live|date=2021-01-27}}
On December 15, 2020, Losik announced to start a hunger strike which lasted until January 21, 2021. He explained this decision by expressing that he was amazed by a wave of solidarity and pleas of hundreds and hundreds of Belarusians to stop.{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://charter97.org/en/news/2021/1/25/408929/|title=Ihar Losik Stops Hunger Strike|website=Charter 97|accessdate=2021-03-16}} In March 2021, a new charge was brought against Losik. When he was informed of the new accusation, he attempted to cut his hands in front of the investigator and the lawyer. He also announced to go on a ‘dry’ hunger strike.{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://belsat.eu/en/news/11-03-2021-jailed-blogger-ihar-losik-attempts-to-slash-wrists-in-protest-against-new-charge/|title=Jailed blogger Ihar Losik attempts to slash wrists in protest against new charge|website=Belsat|accessdate=2021-03-16}}
On December 14, 2021, Losik was charged under "organization of mass riots" and "incitement to social hatred" and sentenced to 15 years in a maximum security prison in Gomel.{{Cite web|language=en|url=https://prisoners.spring96.org/en/person/ihar-losik|title=Ihar Losik|website=Viasna Human Rights Centre|accessdate=2021-12-27}} Along with him, Mikola Statkevich, Sergei Tikhanovsky and three other political prisoners were also sentenced.{{Cite news|language=en|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-losik-verdict-sentence/31607492.html|title=Belarusian Court Hands Down Harsh Sentences To Tsikhanouski, Losik, Other Activists|website=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=19 December 2021 |accessdate=2022-01-03}}
In March 2023, he was awarded the Medal of the Order of the Pahonia.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-25 |title=Рада БНР узнагародзіла Медалём Ордэну "Пагоні" шэраг беларусаў. Белсат онлайн - Belsat TV |url=https://belsat.eu/news/25-03-2023-rada-bnr-uznagarodzila-medalyom-ordenu-pagoni-sherag-belarusau |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=belsat.eu}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Belarusian democracy movement}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Losik, Ihar}}
Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Belarus
Category:Belarusian democracy activists
Category:Belarusian prisoners and detainees
Category:People from Baranavichy
Category:Political prisoners according to Viasna Human Rights Centre