29 March 2024, Friday, 4:36
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Blogger in Babruysk facing criminal charge over "insulting" posts about police

Blogger in Babruysk facing criminal charge over "insulting" posts about police

The Babruysk City Prosecutor's Office has instituted criminal proceedings against a blogger who is accused of insulting police in his posts.

Aleh Zhalnow is facing a charge of publicly insulting a government representative in connection with the discharge by him of his official duties under Article 369 of the Criminal Code.

In October last year, police raided Mr. Zhalnow's apartment, seizing his computer for what they described as an examination linked to a complaint by city police major Yawhen Serashtanaw about audio recordings and videos posted by an unknown person, supposedly Mr. Zhalnow, on the Internet in 2012 and 2013. The police officer claimed that the materials insulted and slandered him.

When reached by BelaPAN, Mr. Zhalnow described the criminal case as authorities' revenge for his work to highlight violations of laws by police.

"They are persecuting a law-abiding person who points at their flaws and seeks to ensure that police act in compliance with the president's edicts and decrees," he said.

In 2013, Mr. Zhalnow and his son, Alyaksey, were arrested and fined after taking pictures of a police vehicle parked on a sidewalk in violation of traffic rules in Babruysk.

Alyaksey is facing a criminal charge of using or threatening to use violence against a police officer over the incident.

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