Changed Sentence to Mikola Markevich

On 4 March Asipovichy District Court changed sentence to Mikola Markevich (edito-in-chief of the newspaper Pahonia, closed by the authorities) to the corrective labor in the place of habitation with check-off of 15% of the salary. This decision accords to the court practice that a prisoner can receive a milder sentence after spending 1/3 of his term. On 5 March Markevich returned to Hrodna.

At fisrt Mikola Markevich was sentenced to 2,5 years of personal restraint in the open personal restraint institution at Asipovichy BBIA for the alleged violation of Article No. 367 of the Criminal Code (defamation of President) by Hrodna Leninski Borough Court.

The other journalist, Pavel Mazheika, is still kept in the open personal restraint institution at Zhlobin BBIA, as the Supreme Court left in force the sentence of Hrodna Leninski Borough Court – 2 years of personal restraint (later the term was shortened by 1 year according to the amnesty law).