“Extremists” hunt goes on: trial over independent “Svaboda” newspaper

On December 12, the court of the Iuye district will hear a case of recognizing extremist August issue of unregistered “Svaboda” newspaper.

Court hearing, which is to be open, is scheduled for 4.00 p.m.

It should be reminded that on November 5, judgeship of the Hrodna region court reversed the decision of the Iuye district court, which by the order of Ihar Syarheenka, head of the KGB department for the Hrodna region, found extremist materials of the August issue of unregistered “Svaboda” newspaper. The judges explained their decision with the fact the district court had heard the case in violation of the law – the parties interested weren’t present at the trial, the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.

Earlier, on September 9, 2008, the Iuye district court (judge Alyaksandr Toustsik) found signs of extremism in article War in Georgia, published in issue 127 on 14-27.08.2008. According to the court decision, 5,000 canopies of the newspaper, seized by the law enforcement bodies, were to be destroyed.