Ukrainian journalist condemned in Byelorussia transferred to correctional facility

The journalist Pavlo Sharoyko was transferred from detention center to Bobruyska correctional facility #2, as the Embassador of Ukraine in Byelorussia told to TUT.BY. The transfer occurred before the New Year. On the 23rd of January the Consul of Ukraine is going to visit Sharoyko. IMI reported earlier, on the 17th of November Zurab Alasania, head of National public television broadcasting company of Ukraine (NSTU) informed that Pavlo Sharoyko, staff correspondent for “UA: Ukrainian radio”, had been detained in Byelorussia. He had been charged with spying. As to the Sharoyko’s wife he had been arrested in his apartment in Minsk on the 25th of October 2017. On the eve the police made a search there. The same day a Ukrainian diplomat was expelled from Byelorussia. On the 20th of November 2017, official of the National committee of security of Byelorussia Dmytro Pobyarzhyn claimed that Sharoyko had acknowledged being staff agent of the intelligence service, that he was colonel and had formed a agents network in Byelorussia. The same day, the Central department of intelligence service of Ukraine of the Ministry of defense refuted the statement of their counterparts in Byelorussia regarding Pavlo Sharoyko. On May of 2018 Sharoyko was condemned to 8 years for espionage, the trial was closed to public. Earlier, in Ukraine had been detained a Byelorussia citizen Yuriy Politika, charged with spying. Some observers suppose the possibility of interchanging Politika against Sharoyko. On the 5th of October 2018 Valeriy Vakulchyk, head of the Committee national security of Byelorussia said there was no possibility to interchange Sharoyko against Politika, but they examined an option to accord a pardon to Pavlo Sharoyko.