Journalist Zmitser Lupach, who lives in the town of Hlybokaye, has been summoned to the local police.
On October 18, he will have to come to Hlybokaye district police station and give explanations about his allegedly making a news story (watch the video above) aired by Belsat TV on September 20.
It is the third time in 2017 that Lupach has been charged with Illegal production and distribution of media products (Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code), i.e. working without accreditation.
In May, judge Lyudmila Vashchanka decided to punish Mr Lupach with a fine of 30 basic units (690 rubles)
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Belsat TV which has been broadcasting for nine years, has been denied accreditation for its journalists during these very nine years. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry has repeatedly declared that it could not issue any accreditation to Belsat because the journalists working for the TV station … break the law.
Thus, the circle closes: journalists are denied accreditation because they break the law and they break the law, because they work without accreditation that they seek… And it explains the existence of absurdist Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code, which provides punishment for ‘illegal production and distribution of media products’. If you have accreditation, you are allowed be a journalist. If you do not have it – you are outlawed.
