BHC Chair Tatsiana Protska Sues National State TV and Radio Company

On March 1 Pershamaiski borough court started hearing the suit of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and its chair Tatsiana Protska against the Belarusian TV and Radio Company. On November 2, 2003 the Belarusian State Channel program "The Center of Attention" showed a negative story about BHC, Tatsiana Protska, and other human rights activists.
Press-service of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee informs, the BHC Council urged the TV Company to apologize and refute the information which damage the image of BHC and honor and dignity of its chair – Tatsiana Protska. However, the TV channel management refused to do that, and BHC had to sue them in court.
The respondents in the suit are the National State TV and Radio Company, the program host Siarhei Khamiantowski, and the script author Yury Prakopaw.
Pershamaiski borough court Judge Aniskevich set the date of the next court session, March 17.
The BHC press-service states the authorities continue their campaign of discrediting human rights defenders. On 29 February 2004, the “Center of Attention” program accused BHC of failure to pay taxes, and gave untrue information about income of BHC members and property owned by Tatsiana Protska.