Investigation of the Paczobut’s case extended

The Belarusian investigatory services decided to extend the investigation until 21 November.

“The term of the preliminary investigation of the criminal case according to the article 367 part 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, which Paczobut is being accused of, will be extended for one month until 21 November 2012 for additional investigatory actions”, - the official representative of the Investigation Committee for the Grodno region the Justice lieutenant colonel Siargei Sharshanevich told at an official meeting on Monday, Interfax reports.

“The measure of restraint to Paczobut didn’t change, he remains under the recognizance not to leave”, - the agency’s interlocutor specified.

The reporter of the Polish Gazeta Wyborcza newspaper, who lives in Grodno, was arrested in June, but later released him with a recognizance not to leave. Andrzej Paczobut was accused of slandering of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

On 21 October the term of the investigation of the journalist’s criminal case expired. During the time of the investigation no investigatory actions were taken with the journalist and he was not called anywhere.

We would remind that Paczobut’s articles on charter97.org and Belarusian Partisan web-sites were the grounds for the accusation. He faces up to five years in prison.