Independent journalist filed complainant to Brest regional court

Inna Khomich challenged the decision of Brest's Maskouski district court in the regional court.

On April 1, the independent journalist was fined 30 base amounts “for the illegal distribution and production of media products”. Inna Khomich asks the Brest regional court to appeal to the Constitutional Court through the Supreme Court to check if the law on the media comply with the constitutional norms, Viasna human rights centre reports.

The journalist says the mandatory accreditation violates a citizen's constitutional rights, as the main law of the country guarantees the right to collect and distribute information. The right is secured by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which was ratified by Belarus.

Inna Khomich wants to draw attention to the fact that the right of citizens to collect information, which is guaranteed by the Constitution, is restricted in Belarus. Human rights defenders note that fines for working with foreign media have been issued to six independent journalists this year, and some of them got several fines.