[Lauchenoiria]

Lauchenoirian Guardian

Xiomeran journalists convicted of attempted arson
6th November 2019

The two Xiomeran journalists, Tlixō and Xōne, who were involved in the summer’s extradition debacle, have been convicted of attempted arson following an attack on the Xiomeran embassy in August. They have each been sentenced to five years in prison for the attack. They have been in pre-trial detention since August after attempting to leave the country and return home after the arrest of their families.

The judge told the pair that while he understood there were political factors in the action, they “do not excuse the use of violence” and that the pair had “badly misjudged” their actions in choosing to attack the embassy. The attack had happened after the Xiomerans had requested the extradition of the pair for running an illegal media outlet, which was critical of their government. The pair will serve out their sentence in Elfwood Prison in Melissa Province

The pair attempted to leave the country in August after the Xiomeran government arrested the families of all individuals involved with the outlawed Huenyan News Network (HNN), including a number of individuals in Laeral and Zamastan. However, due to the embassy attack, the Lauchenoirian authorities arrested the pair at Buttercity International Airport while they were attempting to leave.

In light of the verdict, Foreign Minister Sandra Pavía called upon the newly-crowned Empress Yauhmi of Xiomera to free the families of the journalists. “It is unfair that the families of these two individuals should rot in prison because they cannot answer the summons of their government. If the Xiomerans wish to question the pair, the Xiomeran Ambassador may speak with them, but we cannot ignore the independence of our judiciary and release them to return.”

Protesters were outside the court during the sentencing, calling on the Lauchenoirian government to release the pair. Anti-Xiomera protest groups have called the prosecutions “political”, and claimed that the actions of the journalists had not posed a danger to human life, and thus should have been considered a “legitimate protest”. Fringe groups have also claimed the Lauchenoirian government arrested the pair in an attempt to improve relations with Xiomera.