June 24th, 2002. Posted in News from Belarus

Journalists of the newspaper “Pahonya” guilty of slander on the president of Belarus (photo)

24.06.2002 Court of Lenin area of Grodno (Judge Tatyana Klimova) recognized journalists of the newspaper “Pagonja” guilty of slander on the president of Belarus. Nikolay Markevich is sentenced to 2 years and 6 months of restriction of freedom, Paul Mazhejka - to 2 years of restriction of freedom. Thus the court has considered presence at Markevich of two minor children and youth of Mazhejka, to which 24 years.

The taken out punishment (”chemistry”) provides work of journalists. After ad judgment at a court building 40 persons have gathered.

Strike Committee of entrepreneurs of Belarus are considered by a sentence obviously tendentious and illegal since in actions of journalists is absent both structure and crime event (heads of Strike Committee Valery Levaneuski and Alexander Vasilieu were present at the basic sessions of court).

In actions of the authorities is obviously visible the political order for destruction of a freedom of speech in Belarus.

Strike Committee of entrepreneurs of Belarus is convinced, that similar “affairs” will be raised and against other people (mass-media) who had imprudence to state on the events occurring to Belarus other point of view, than the official press.

Photos from an event place: