A court in Hrodna deferred trial against Belorussian journalist until June 23rd, after he heard prosecutor’s charges against Poczobut. Defendant’s wife and daughter were banned from entering the court room. There was also another rally of support for Poczobut in front of the court building.
During a previous court hearing, on June 14th, the presiding judge Vital Latko dismissed the defense motion to hold trial open for public, to call Lukashenka to be a witness and to allow additional defense lawyer from Lithuania.
Poczobut is accused of „offending president“ and „slander of president“, which based on the Belorussian Criminal Code can be punished with two to four years in prison. Vital Latko is the presiding judge.
The charges against Poczobut were brought after his publications in Gazeta Wyborcza and on Belarus Partisan website and his blog. Just before he was arrested, in an interview with Belsat TV, Poczobut said that the case against him is a Hrodna’s KGB revenge for his articles on their activities. Another reason for his arrest would be deterioration of Polish-Belorussian relations. Poland, according to Belorussian state propaganda, attempted to orchestrate an overthrow of Lukashenka.
Belsat
