Denis Staji
Affiliated media: Delovaya Stolitsa, Journalist
Incident date: April 30, 2022
Attack type:
- Abduction, taking captive / hostage, illegal deprivation of liberty
Who attacked: Unknown sources
Source: Platform to promote the protection of journalism and safety of journalists
Location: Ukraine, Kyiv Oblast, Kyiv
Additional information:
Belarusian journalist Denis Staji, who moved to Ukraine, was attacked by unknown assailants. The journalist's wife said she lost contact with her husband on 9 April 2022 while in western Ukraine. When she returned to Kyiv on 12 April, she found Staji unconscious and wrapped in trash bags at th. She wrote on Telegram that Staji had a blanket over his head, dirt in his mouth, and handcuff marks on his wrists, and he showed signs of having been beaten on his head, ribs, kidneys, hands, and feet, and his right arm was “smashed to pieces”. On photos she posted to social media, the journalist can be seen with deep bruises across his torso, arms, and feet and with lacerations on his ribs, back, and buttocks. A break-in was staged in the apartment and information carriers disappeared, while money and jewelry remained in place. There is a suspicion that the attack was staged in order to gain access to the larger community of Belarusians on Telegram which he administrates.