News on the topic: freedom of expression
05.06.2015 BCD activist to stand trial for anti-alcohol posters
Activist from Slonim Ivan Bedka will be tried for a poster reading “Let's protect our children from alcoholism”.
04.06.2015 Freelance journalist gets fined 60 basic units
Freelance journalist Alina Litvinchuk has been sentenced to a fine of 60 basic units by the Leninski District Court of Brest.
04.06.2015 IFJ Calls for Belarus Media Reform as New Law Takes Effect
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today called upon the Belarus government to bring in radical reforms to media and to abandon the strategy set out in a divisive new law that came into force on 8 February.
04.06.2015 Repeated trial on case of publisher of “Voĺny Horad” starts at Kryčaŭ District Court
June 3, the repeated trial on the administrative case against Uladzimir Kudrautsau, charged with defaming policeman Aliakdsandr Dziameshka, started at the Kryčaŭ District Court.
02.06.2015 Freelance journalists Volha Chaichyts and Siarhei Krauchuk get fined 30 basic units
Judge Shaiko of the Dziaržynsk District Court decided to fine the journalist Volha Chaichyts for violation of Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code, Part 2, 30 basic units or 5.4million rubles. Siarhei Krauchuk was fined the same amount, too.
02.06.2015 Biaroza officials again regard solidarity with political prisoners as "inciting ethnic hatred"
Biaroza human rights defenders and social activists have been again denied the opportunity to publicly voice their disagreement with the tax on the unemployed and the presence of political prisoners in the country.
01.06.2015 Police draw up two more violation reports on Kanstantsin Zhukouski
Drawing up reports under Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal manufacturing media products) against Homieĺ freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski has been put on the conveyor by the local police. Over the past two months, they had compiled five such reports on the journalist in connection with implementation of his professional duties.
01.06.2015 Independent journalist Volha Chaichyts to be tried
Journalist Volha Chaichyts to be tried in the court of the Dziarzhynsk district of the Minsk region on June 1.
15.05.2015 Baranavičy: first hearing on May Day picket ban
May 14, Baranavičy City and District Court started considering the appeal of civil society activist Ryhor Hryk against the ban on the picket he intended to hold on May 1, issued by the Baranavičy City Executive Committee.
13.05.2015 Human rights activist holding Savchenko portrait detained near Russian embassy
Natallia Harachka, a human rights activist of the initiative Legal Assistance to Citizens, was detained near the embassy of Russia in Minsk.
12.05.2015 Police confiscate book from Anatol Liabedzka and try to get into his apartment
In the evening on May 9, 38 copies of Anatol Liabedzka's book “108 days and nights in the dungeons of the KGB” were seized from him. At first the police found some materials of the United Civil Party in his car, and then decided to “thoroughly examine” it, which resulted in the confiscation of the books, which were in the trunk. The books have been sent for an examination.
11.05.2015 Leanid Kulakou sentenced to seven days of arrest
Today, an activist of the “European Belarus” Leanid Kulakou was judged at the Smaliavičy District Court. Judge Lina Barodzich sentenced him to seven days of arrest.
11.05.2015 Salihorsk: human rights require a new decision on canceling public events
Salihorsk representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Leanid Markhotka asks the Salihorsk Council to cancel the decision of the Salihorsk District Executive Committee "On designation of places for mass events" No. 427, adopted on February 27 and enforced on April 4, 2015.
08.05.2015 Journalist Volha Chaichyts to be tried for collaboration with "BelSat"
She is charged under Article 22.9 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “work for foreign media without accreditation”. The writ was not handed to her in person, but was sent by mail.
07.05.2015 Journalists Aliaksandr Dzianisau and Aliaksandr Kirkevich file appeals
Hrodna freelance journalists Aliaksandr Dzianisau and Aliaksandr Kirkevich have filed appeals to Hrodna Regional Court. April 22, both of them had been fined by Judge of the Leninski District Court of Hrodna Alena Piatrova 20 base units under Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code for alleged illegal production and distribution of information products.
