More than 60 companies from Belarus are negotiating to relocate to Lithuania, said Minister of Economy and Innovation Aušrinė Armonaitė. The Minister stressed that last year actions of the Belarusian regime forced entrepreneurs to leave the country, and Lithuania had to solve complex relocation issues.

“Today Belarusian companies are already in Lithuania, and more than 60 companies are also negotiating the possibility of moving to Lithuania. Therefore, we must maintain the pace and continue improving business regulation so that we look like the most attractive in the eyes of neighboring countries and win the competition,” Aušrinė Armonaitė noted in a press release.

Since the beginning of the protests in Belarus, in addition to Epam Systems, other Belarusian IT companies have announced their plans to settle in Lithuania - Wargaming, Flo Health, Coherent Solutions, Godel Technologies.

Today Lithuania celebrates Freedom Defenders Day. Since 2011, on this day, the Lithuanian government has been presenting the Freedom Prize. The 2020 prize was awarded to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the Belarusian people, who are fighting against violence and lawlessness in their country. Tsikhanouskaya will send a prize of 5,000 euros to the families of the killed peaceful protesters.

Sviatlana spoke in the Seimas (Lithuanian Parliament) about the role of freedom for both Belarusians and Lithuanians: “Why did brave Lithuanians sacrifice their lives 30 years ago? And why are millions of Belarusians now risking their lives? The reason is simple. They dared to walk towards freedom. The regime thinks that they can crush our spirit of freedom and our dignity by crushing us with their machines of repression. This did not happen in Lithuania and will not happen in Belarus. There is no way back.”

Belarusian journalist and media manager Andrei Alexandrov has been apprehended and is currently in the Oktyabrsky police department of Minsk, the Belarusian Journalist Association reported today.

“The police refused to disclose what Alexandrov had been apprehended over. The journalist’s lawyer is currently heading there,” the Association said. Previously, the journalist’s colleagues reported that Alexandrov went out of contact on January 12.

Alexandrov is a media sphere researcher and works as a coach in media management schools of a number of countries. Previously, he served as the Journalist Association's deputy chairman. He also worked as the BelaPAN news agency deputy CEO. In 2014, he established the Belorussky Zhurnal website, remaining its publisher and editor-in-chief to this day.

According to the Association, journalists were apprehended in Belarus for a total of 479 times. Nine journalists are currently in detention over criminal cases; besides, journalists served administrative arrests 97 times.

Yesterday, on January 12, the Oktyabrsky district court of Minsk ruled that the anti-violence address from the civil aviation workers was a “picket using the Internet computer network.” Nadezhda Bukataya, an ex-employee of Belavia, got 15 days of jail time for participating in the recording of the video. On January 11, Vladimir Galash also got 15 days of jail time for the same video. The trials regarding the address continued today as well.

Several local rallies took place in blocks of Minsk at night. In the video, “Lukashenko [should be sent] into a prisoners vehicle!” people chanting.

Belarusian independent media outlets recorded a video address.

“Since the elections in 2020, it became near impossible to work as a journalist in Belarus because of arrests, revoking of accreditations and mass media status, criminal prosecution, and beatings.

The journalists and media were fined 59.891 rubles (ca. 23.300 US dollars). There were 97 cases of journalists placed under administrative arrest. Nine representatives of media are currently in prison due to criminal charges against them.

This video covers only a small share of the stories that happened to the independent Belarusian media. This isn't how it should be.

We demand immediate release of the media representatives and political prisoners, an end to the persecution, and criminal prosecution of the people guilty of violating the rights of journalists and other citizens.”

The video is provided with English subtitles.

Heiko Maas, head of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

“Whoever treats solidarity with Belarus seriously, couldn't genuinely want to hold a World Hockey Championship there. It would be the biggest PR-present for Lukashenko and a devastating strike against the protesters. I hope the organizers will see it.”

Witnesses for the prosecution. Belarus, 2021.

15 metres of white-red-white under the ice in Hrodna.

Skoda won't be a sponsor of ice hockey World Championship if it takes place in Belarus.

The father of seven children Syarhei Melyanets was tried in the Minsk District Court today. Policemen drew up a report on him under Article 23.34 – for the white-red-white flag in the window, which they considered a single picket. Although there was never a flag there: just white-red-white blinds hang in Melyanets's window.

In court, Siarhei Melyanets explained that he had hung the blinds in late August, based on his religious beliefs. “The white colour symbolizes the holiness that we believers receive through the blood that Christ shed on the cross. It is the colour red,” the man said.

For the first time, the judge was unable to look into the case and scheduled the next session for January 21.

“We believe, we can, we will prevail!” a column of protesters chanting. The local march happened in South-West district of Minsk.

As the morning comes, solidarity actions start. “Go away, you, and your riot cops!” posters read. The photo is taken in Barauliany (a village in Minsk region).

This is not an obvious way to thank Nivea for renouncement of it's sponsorship for ice hockey World Championship. “I never used Nivea creme, but it's can resonates brilliantly.”