Cat Serena and driver Andrea Eltsova Ah, Belarus nationals who worked for Bell Sad.

They were arrested at an apartment in November from where they had been filming protests taking place over the death of a protester who was killed several days earlier.

Their detention has been condemned by international human rights organizations.

The two journalists appeared in a cage at the hearing on Thursday, making V for victory signs.

Both pleaded not guilty after being accused of orchestrating the demonstrations by filming them.

Mobile phones, microphones, video cameras and flash drives were all presented as evidence by the prosecution.

The New York based Committee to Protect Journalists has called the charges quote absurd and said that they should be dropped immediately.

More than 33,000 people have been detained after protests against Lukashenko's rule following an election last August that opponents say was rigged to keep him in power.