Aksana Novikava Is Charged with President Defamation

On Saturday 8 May 2004 Aksana Novikava was summoned to Minsk Transport Prosecutor’s Office for familiarization with materials of the criminal case against her in the capacity of an accused. The ruling was signed by the major investigator of the prosecutor’s office.

At 12 a.m. on 5 April Aksana Novikava handed out fly-sheets in the tunnel No. 2 of the central railway station of Minsk.

As a result, on 6 April Minsk Transport Prosecutor’s office initiated a criminal case upon the second part of article 367 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus – defamation of president. The case was brought by the transport prosecutor, justice advisor A.M. Lapshyn. In the text of the accusation it is said that the fly-sheets contained patently false statements that defamed president of the Republic of Belarus and were accompanied by accusations of president in felonies.