In absentia: Independent journalist fined for 'illegal production of media products'


On March 26, an administrative case against Ales Lyauvchuk was heard at Maskouski District Court in Brest. The journalist who was suspected of violation of Article 22.9 (illegal production and distribution of media products) was not summoned; he was not even aware of what decision was taken by the court.

Later the journalist got to know that the court imposed Br 3,780 000 fine on him (appr. $250)

An article published on belsat.eu gave grounds for opening the administrative case.

“They have claims to the article ‘Brest Residents Congratulated on Day of Defender with Machine Gun and Motorcycle with St. George Ribbon’. At that, the police had no evidence that I was the author of the article. The signature ‘A.L.’ does not mean ‘Ales Lyauchuk’,” he told Belsat.

No summons was sent to Ales Lyauchuk. On March 26 he phoned the court and learnt that the case had been considered in the absence of him. The court officials also refused to provide information on the sentence over the telephone.

The city authorities have been keeping an eye open for the independent journalist for long. In December, 2014 Leninski District court imposed a fine on him for alleged violation of the same Article 22.9.

Five (!) independent journalists were called to the police in Brest and Hrodna on March 18-19.

www.belsat.eu/en/

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