Huge fines imposed on Hrodna journalists

Leninski Borough Court of Hrodna started hearing administrative cases against five journalists who attempted a protest in the city center on 6 July. The acting senior editor of the Glos znad Niemna Andrzej Pisalnik, the editor of the Magazyn Polski Andrei Pachobut, and also Inesa Hordyk, Ivan Roman and Ihar Bantsar came to Lenin Square in the center of the city, where they put up a tent and unfolded a transparency with Polish inscriptions: "Give the Poles the Glos znad Niemna!" and "Protest of the Union of Poles in Belarus".

After detention by police. They were taken to Leninski Borough Department of Internal Affairs, where they made up protocols. The journalists are charged with insubordination to the demands imposed by the police, organization of and involvement in unauthorized picketing, and A.Pachobut and A.Pisalnik are also charged with violation of sanitation rules.

The head of the Hrodna branch of BAJ Paval Mazheika told the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists that the journalists who had come to support their colleagues were not allowed inside the courtroom. The three detained journalists demanded their colleagues be allowed inside the building, or legal services be provided. Judge Dzmitry Matsiuk postponed the consideration of the cases against Inesa Hordyk, Andrzej Pisalnik and Ivan Roman to the morning of 8 July. Andrej Pachobut was fined 5 million 125 thousand rubles, and Ihar Bantsar – 510 thousand rubles.