Zhanna Litvina

Zhanna Litvina (born August 30, 1954) is a Belarusian journalist and free speech activist. From 1995 to 2015, she served as chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.[1][2][3]

Zhanna Litvina
Born (1954-08-30) August 30, 1954
Minsk
Alma materBelarusian State University
OccupationFree Speech Activist
Years active1976–present

Biography

Litvina was born in the Vadapoj near Minsk. She studied journalism at the Belarusian State University. After graduating she worked as an editor of youth programming at the Belarusian state television station for the better part of 20 years before being dismissed. Following her termination, Litvina and her associates created and operated their own independent news and music station Radio 101.2, only to have it closed by the state in 1996.[4] The closure encouraged Litvina to move the operation out of the country, and she continued to broadcast from Poland, so as to avoid the ire of the Belarusian government and belie the possibility of shutdown.[5][6]

Belarusian Association of Journalists

Litvina co-founded the Belarusian Association of Journalists in 1995, and served as its chairman until April 2015.[7] Their goal is to protect the rights of journalists in Belarus, and offer support by promoting free speech, public access to information and legal aid to journalists who have been targeted by the government.[8]

Awards
  • In 2003 she was a Golden Pen recipient. She was awarded for her journalism and "courageous resistance to the repression of the media by President Aleksander Lukashenko";[9]
  • In 2004 she was awarded the Louis Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism;[10]
  • In 2008 she received the Ebert Foundation’s Human Rights Award in 2008;[8]
  • In June 2011 she received the Atlantic Council Freedom Award.[8]

References
  1. "Zhanna Litvina: Time to hand BAJ over". Euroradio. 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  2. "Zhanna Litvina leaves her post as BAJ head". Charter-97. 2015-04-24. Archived from the original on 2021-08-28. Retrieved 2021-09-06.
  3. "Zhanna Litvina". Reporters Without Borders. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  4. "Human Rights award 2008". Bio on Database. friedrich ebert stiftung. Retrieved 2012-03-15.
  5. "Zhanna Litvina: About '17 Years on the Throne', the BAJ 'Family', and Her Birthday Shared with Lukashenka…". The Belarus Association of Journalists (BAJ). 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  6. "Belarus: The Struggle for Press Freedoom" (PDF). International Federation of Journalists. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  7. "На старшыню БАЖ абраны Андрэй Бастунец". Радыё Свабода. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  8. "ZHANNA LITVINA, Chairwoman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (1995-2015) (Belarus)" (PDF). 1st Eastern Partnership Media Conference. 2015-05-19. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  9. "A place where journalism is silenced". The Irish Times. 2003-06-12. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  10. "Zhanna Litvina". Human Rights Foundation. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
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