Brest Regional Court dismisses appeal of independent journalist

Yauhen Skrabets, a freelance journalist working for the Belarusian Radio Racyja, tried to challenge the decision of the trial court, which sentenced him to 10 days of arrest for alleged disorderly conduct.

The journalist was detained on when returning home on May 17. Yauhen Skrabets told about his detention by sending a short message, saying that he was taken to the police station of Brest’s Leninski district. The journalist had to remain in the temporary detention until the morning of May 19, when he was taken to court. During the trial, Yauhen asked for a counsel, and the hearing was suspended. Despite the fact that the judge ordered to release Skrabets in the courtroom, he was again detained by police and taken to the police station. A few hours later there was another trial, which resulted in the arrest of independent journalist for 10 days for allegedly using foul language.

After his release, Yauhen Skrabets received assistance from human rights defenders to file a complaint with the Brest Regional Court asking to cancel the decision of the Leninski district court of Brest. The complaint stresses that the judgment is illegal, arbitrary and violating his civil rights, while the case of an administrative offense from the outset was rigged by the police.

However, the numerous arguments were not taken into account by the Brest Regional Court, which dismissed his appeal against the decision of the trial court.