The senior editor of the Dien newspaper filed a complaint with the actions of the Dubrovenski Department of Internal Affairs
On 27 May the senior editor of the Dien Mikola Markievich filed a complaint against the actions performed by the officers of the Dubrovenski Department of Internal Affairs who in the evening of 26 May confiscated 1990 copies of the Dien newspaper “without indicating actual or legal reasons” for their actions, reported the press-service of BAJ. M.Markievich demands that 1990 copies of the newspaper should be restored and those behind – called to account under the law. The complaint is filed with the head of Dubrovenski District Department of Internal Affairs.
The message underlines that the police actions contradicted the legislation effective in Belarus. The police officers did not provide official explanations to Dienpress or give any reasons for their actions; they did not take a sample of the product, as is allowed under Article 16 of the Law “On the Police” but the entire print-run of the newspaper; the confiscation was not properly formalized; the police interfered with the legal distribution of the periodical without a court ruling in violation of Article 25 of the Press Law, and with the legal activity of the editorial office, the publisher and the distributors in violation of Article 48 of the same Law.
“These violations show that confiscation of printed media materials (print-run #1 (190) of the Dien) is illegal and violates the rights and legal interests of the editorial office and the publisher of the Dien – Dienpress, says the complaint.