New York Russian Poets Club against prosecution of Poczobut

The club released an appropriate statement on October 21.

“We, Russian writers of America, express our decisive protest against prosecution of journalist Andrzej Poczobut, a Gazeta Wyborcza correspondent, by the Belarusian authorities,” the press service of the Belarusian Association of  Journalists (BAJ) quotes the statement.

“The journalist may face up to five years in prison for his publications on the Internet. According to estimates by independent experts, Poczobut articles criticise the policy of the Belarusian authorities, but do not have signs of libel.

We will bring our protest to knowledge of the Belarusian authorities and international community via appeals to international institutions and publications in press,” the statement says.

PEN American Center, which unites about 3,000 writers, also keeps a close eye on the situation of Poczobut. The organization appealed to Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Prosecutor General Alyaksandr Kanyuk in July, when information about a new criminal case against the journalist appeared, urging to drop charges from Poczobut and implement obligations on securing the freedom of expression for all citizens. Protest statements were also sent to Belarus's diplomatic representations in several countries.