Dzyarzhynsky district court has sentenced the Belsat TV journalist Volha Czajczyc and cameraman Andrei Kozel to the fines of 30 basic units (690 BYN) each.
Judge Ina Shaiko found them guilty of the illicit manufacture and distribution of information (Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code).
The reporter’s duo, Czajczyc and Kozel, specializes in coverage of the protests, as well as urgent problems happening mostly in the regions of Belarus. In early November, they prepared for “Belsat TV” a story about the conflict between officials and the sick woman in Dzyarzhynsk district: the woman still has not been allocated a new home, although her current accommodation was deemed unfit for living back in 2009.
Local officials, however, told the reporters that they cannot give the woman a new home in the Neharelaye town, because then “they would be accused of corruption”. It was the chairman of the village council and his colleague who acted as witnesses in the trial of “Belsat TV” reporters.
On December 8, Czajczyc and Kozel will be tried again, this time – for the livestream of the trial of Belsat TV journalists.
In addition, the law enforcement agencies did not like our correspondents’ report on how the citizens of Minsk are fighting against extra construction in the center of the city. The Border Committee is going to build a house in the courtyard of an apartment house, but its inhabitants do not agree with these plans and asked “Belsat” to cover their struggle. The story was aired on October 16th.
“Most often, we are working in the regions of Belarus, people come to us to talk about their problems. I go to places, where other journalists do not reach. Then authorities have nothing else to do but react. But instead of dealing with the real problems of the people, they fight with me,” said Volha Czajczyc about the court ruling.
Katsyaryna Andreyeva, belsat.eu
