Blogger Halko and journalist Jarashevich sentenced to 10 and 12 days in prison

A blogger Dzmitry Halko has been sentenced to 10 days of an administrative arrest on a farfetched accusation. His friend Aliaksandr Jarashevich was sentenced to 12 days.

As the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports, the verdict to the blogger was passed by a judge of Minsk Moscow district’s court Jauhen Khatkievich on 7 May.

Halko was found guilty according to two articles of the Administrative Code: 17.1 (disorderly conduct) and 23.4 (insubordination to lawful demands of an official carrying out his/her duties).

In the evening a reporter of Radio Racyja Aliaksandr Jarashevich also saw a verdict passed. He was accused of a violation of the article 23.4 of the Administrative Code. A judge Tatsiana Matyl passed a verdict – 12 days in prison.

Two witness on the part of police testified in court – Viktar Zharski and Aliaksej Haroshka. Their testimonies contradicted each other and the report signed by them. Particularly, the policemen provided contradictory information as to the place of the detention and the actions of Halko’s, who allegedly grabbed them by the hands. A policemen from Moscow district’s police department Dzmitry Novik admitted in court that he changed the signed reports of his colleagues’.

The journalists present at the trial were forbidden to use not only viode- photo- but also audio equipment. The judge wanted to remove Aksana Rudovich, Aleh Hruzdzilovich and Barys Haretski from the courtroom on the grounds that they were holding cell phones in their hands, by the means of which they allegedly were recording the proceeding. They were allowed to stay in the courtroom only after having given their cell phones to a policeman.

We would remind that policemen detained Jarashevich and Halko in the evening on 6 May when they were approaching a metro station from Akrestsina Street, where they met the released participants of the Charnobyl Way manifestation. The journalists were detained with no explanations and taken to Minsk Moscow district’s police department. Protocols were composed against them in accordance with the article 23.4 of the Administrative Code. The journalists spent the night at the police station.