On August 19, Leninski District Court of Hrodna found Ales Kirkevich and Ales Dzyanisau guilty of illegal production and distribution of media products and fined Br 4.5 mln each, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.
The charge is based on their covering exhibition of dolls made by Lithuanian artists which was held in Hrodna exhibition hall:
The hearing started on July, 23, but judge Kazakevich sent the materials of the case back to revision.
On August, 14 the hearing resumed, although the both journalists were absent there. The court heard witnesses – artist Alyaksandr Silvanovich and his wife Iryna Silvanovich, Director of the exhibition hall. They confirmed being interviewed by Kirkevich and Dzyanisau.
“What hurts the most is that the government is ‘shutting the door’. At the moment, I cam not allowed to film at the Museum of Archeology and History, I am not allowed to film at the Museum of Religion, I am not allowed to film in the Puppet Theater … by now the exhibition hall in Orzeszkowa Street has been added,” Ales Dzyanisau told Belsat TV.
The previous case against Dzyanisau and Kirkevich (under the same article) was opened in April, 2015 over the reportage made in Hrodna Museum of the History of Religion.
