U.S. calls for immediate release of Darya Losik, who is detained in Belarus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States on Wednesday called for the immediate, unconditional release of Darya Losik, the wife of a detained Radio Liberty journalist who was herself detained in Belarus.

State Department deputy spokesperson Vedant Patel, speaking at a daily press briefing, said the United States was alarmed that Losik had been jailed for reportedly facilitating “extremist activities” by granting an interview to an independent media outlet deemed extremists by Belarusian authorities.

(Reporting by Simon Lewis and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Daphne Psaledakis and Susan Heavey)