About Iryna Khalip
Iryna Uladzimirawna Khalip (Belarusian: Iрына Уладзіміраўна Халiп, Russian: Ирина Владимировна Халип, romanized: Irina Vladimirovna Khalip; born November 12, 1967) is a Belarusian journalist, reporter and editor in the Minsk bureau of Novaya Gazeta, known for her criticism of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. For her journalistic activities she has been regularly harassed, detained, and beaten by the Belarusian KGB and authorities. In May 2011, she was given a two-year suspended prison sentence for her role in protests following the 2010 Belarus election. TIME selected her for the 2005 special issue "European Heroes", category "Brave Hearts". In 2009 she was awarded the Courage in Journalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation. She is married to former Belarus presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, an opposition activist and recipient of the 2005 Bruno Kreisky Award. He quickly became known for restricting freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.