The European Film Academy (EFA) has called for the release from prison in Serbia of Belarusian filmmaker and activist Andrei Gnyot, saying he risks being extradited to Belarus where he is facing imprisonment, torture and even the possibility of the death penalty.
EFA was alerted to Gnyot’s case by the Belarusian Independent Film Academy, which has also issued a statement demanding his release.
Gnyot is known for making documentary footage during the Belarus 2020 protests and recording athletes’ appeals for free and fair elections.
“He is being prosecuted by the Belarusian regime for these activities. Andrei was arrested in Serbia because Interpol has accepted the request of the Belarusian regime to search for him. Later Interpol cancelled the search request; however, Serbia did not release Andrei, and the danger is that he could be extradited any moment,” said the Belarusian Independent Film Academy.
“The Belarusian regime continues to persecute active citizens years after the rigged presidential elections in 2020 to destroy any manifestation of dissent. Searches, arrests, and torture continue unabatedly in Belarus.”
Organisations including Amnesty International and The Committee to Protect Journalists have also called for extradition proceedings against Gnyot to be halted. Amnesty says the charges against Gnyot are politically motivated.
EFA said it is deeply worried about Gnyot’s wellbeing, and “calls on the Serbian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Andrei Gnyot. We encourage all film and culture institutions around the world to do the same.”
The Belarusian Independent Film Academy was launched in early 2023 after more than 130 Belarusian filmmakers signed a collective statement condemning Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. The independent Academy is boycotting the regime of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko.
Its founding members include directors Darya Zhuk, Alyaksei Paluyan and Andrei Kutsila, producer, director and director of the Northern Lights film festival Volya Chaikouskaya, senior programmer and consultant Ihar Sukmanau and film critic Irena Kaciałovič.
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