On Friday morning, the police made unexpected visits to two local journalists in the town of Pinsk (Brest region).
At 6.30 am unknown people were trying to break into the flat of video journalist Andrey Yakimush. He managed to inform his colleague of the situation. At the moment, one cannot get in touch with him, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reports.
The policemen also conducted a search of journalist Viktar Yarashuk’s place, it is known that his mobile phone was seized. After the raid Yarashuk was taken away by security officers.
Amid the post-election protests in 2020, the both media workers who were found guilty of ‘taking part in an illegal mass event’ under Art. 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences had to serve up to 15 days in jail each. In fact, the reporters only covered protest rallies. Trying journalists for taking part in demonstrations is against the Belarusian law; in accordance with the law on media, a person reporting from a public event is not a participant in it.
belsat.eu
