Journalists without freedom of movement

Anton Surapin, a fourth year student of the faculty of journalism at Belarusian State University (BSU), cannot leave his native town of Slutsk after the release from the KGB jail.

He was to start practical training on TUT.BY Internet portal on September 1. Anton Surapin tells Radio Svaboda about his plans:

“I am a student yet. I has not been expelled. There are no grounds for expulsion. The practical training has already begun. I must work at TUT.BY Internet portal from today, but I have to arrive to Minsk to start training. I should find a flat and register there. My undertaking not to leave the town should be assigned to this flat. But it's difficult to rent a flat now. I was in jail when I was supposed to look for a place to live. Now, students returned to Minsk and I have few chances to find a flat now. I haven't found anything, though I have been looking for a week.”

Journalist Andrzej Paczobut from Hrodna, who also cannot leave his town in connection with a criminal case of defamation of Lukashenka, says he knows how a journalist feels without the freedom of movement:

“An undertaking not to leave the town for a journalist is a significant restriction. You cannot go somewhere to make an important reportage, visit  the scene of events. Of course, it makes your work more difficult. Theoretically, you may refer to an investigator to receive permission for travelling. But you should understand that this measure was applied with certain aims relating rather to your professional duties than to the criminal case. It would be naïve to expect an investigator to permit you a work trip. In theory, a criminal case, which restricts your freedom of movement, can be investigated for a rather long period of time. For example, the case of disappeared people has not been closed. If someone were restricted to leave his town in this case, he couldn't travel for this time. This measure cannot be appealed against. It is very unpleasant, but what can you do in this country?”