Belarus prosecutor’s office warns three Homiel journalists against contribution to Belsat TV

Homiel-based journalists Maryna Drabysheuskaya, Maryia Bulavinskaya, Yauhen Merkis and Syarhei Lyapin have been warned against contribution to the ‘unregistered TV channel’ Belsat.

Although Belsat TV is located in Poland, many journalists and contributors work in Belarus. As the Belarusian Foreign Ministery has repeatedly denied registration to the TV station for political reasons, its contributors are at the authorities’ gunpoint for working without it.

The four reporters were summoned to the Prosecutor’s Office today.

On March 23, Homiel court fined Yauhen Merkis for ‘illegal production and distribution of media products’, i.e. for covering the march of ‘non-parasites’ in Rahachou. He livestreamed protest rallies in Vitsebsk and Homiel as well.

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In February-March, there has been an eruption of protesting the so-called ‘parasite’ law in Belarus. About 200 Belarusians have been detained, fined, jailed after recent non-parasite marches.  Last week, trials of participants were held in Minsk, Hrodna and Mahiliou. Most of them were accused of violating the order of holding mass events and disobedience to police officers’ demands. It should be noted that plainclothes policemen who refuse to show their IDs a or introduce themselves often beat people and prevented journalists from performing their professional duties.

Belsat.eu