The Belarusian Embassy in Kyiv has not shown any spark of interest in beating Belarusian journalists in Ukraine, which demonstrate our state’s real attitude to its citizens, Aliaksei Dzikavitski, Information programming Director, said.
‘Even if these journalists are working for a chennel broadcasting from abroad they still remain the citizens of Belarus. Our Embassy’s staff must be well aware of it,’ he stressed.
The Belarusian Ministry of Foreigh Affairs has no idea how to react, which determines our diplomats’ actions, human rights defender Alena Tankachova says. ‘A normal country having diplomatic missions is to provide assistance to our nationals, particularly to those who are in a deadlock situation. But taking into account the current reaction [of the Embassy] one should not reckon upon it,’ she adds.
According to Mrs Tankachova, independent journalists should turn for help to human rights defenders, lawyers and jourmalists’ associations.
It is to be recalled that Belsat TV’s journalist Yuras Wysocki and cameraman Siarhei Marchyk were battered while filming a violent dispersal of Ukrainian activists in Cherkasy (central Ukraine), their equipment and footage seized. One was diagnosed with brain concussion, the other spent a night at a police station. Neither Ukrainian nor Belarusian authorities reacted.
