Krychau district court rules against independent newspaper

The District Court of Krychau ruled today in the claim for “the protection of business reputation” by the Cherykau-based state-owned enterprise PMK (Mobile Mechanical Division) No. 280 against local independent newspaper Volny Horad (“Free Town”). The claim dealt with an article about salary payment delays at the enterprise. As a result, the court found the information regarding the enterprise as false, and ordered the newspaper to publish a retraction.

According to the editor of the independent newspaper, Siarhei Niarouny, journalists of the newspaper will appeal the decision of the district court to Mahiliou Regional Court.

“Krychau District Court told us to publish a rebuttal. That’s what I heard when the court order was read out, a copy of the judgment was promised to be issued within five days. Of course, we disagree with such a decision, and we will appeal it to Mahiliou Regional Court. The judge did not grant all of our major motions, including our request to oblige PMK-280 to provide the court copies of collective employment agreements, contracts with employees, as well as payrolls, wage and payment orders for transfer to the fund of social protection. In that case, one would clearly see whether the enterprise timely paid salaries to its workers,” says the editor.

A short article “Bondslaves” was written according to oral information provided by the wife of an employee of the MMC who phoned the editors of “Free Town”. As the publication suggests, she said that her husband could not receive payment for three months.

The independent newspaper “Vonly Horad” has a circulation of 299 copies and is distributed in Krychau district and in adjacent areas of the east of Mahiliou region.