Chief editor of "Naš Mahiloŭ" appeals actions of police to Mahiliou regional prosecutor's office

Police officers have missed the deadlines for returning the computers, seized from the journalist.

Ihar Barysau asks the prosecutor's office to immediately return him two computers, a modem and a notebook, as well as to punish the officials who are guilty of violating his rights and procedural norms during the inspection.

In addition, in his appeal the editor in chief points out that during the inspection of his apartment the police violated his rights: they came with their own witnesses (university students, who were having a traineeship at the Ministry of Internal Affairs) and didn't let him wait for the arrival of independent witnesses. While reading him his rights they didn't explain his status and refused to admit his representative, lawyer Aliaksei Yauhenau, who was standing at the entrance of the apartment. He wasn't issued with any copies of process documents confirming the inspection of the apartment and seizure of the computer equipment.

While preparing the appeal, Mr. Barysau was assisted by the lawyer Alena Barysava. “There is no doubt in the political factor of the inspection of the apartment and seizure of the computers. All legal terms for the inspection passed long ago. However, its results are still unknown. Only one computer has been returned so far. As we found while studying the documents, we learned that the police had been looking not only about the media article in question, but also for documents related to financing and socio-political activities,” says Alena Barysava. Let us remind that on March 12 police officers visited the private apartment of Ihar Barysau. As a result, they seized three computers, a modem and a notebook. The official reason for the visit of the police became the appeal of the head of the JSC “Stužka” Siarhei Piatrou, who accused Barysau of libeling him in an Internet article. As a result, the police held an inspection under Article 188, part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, “libel”.