Independent journalist asks for protection in the Constitutional Court

Brest journalist is going to appeal to the Constitutional Court.

So she wants to draw attention to the fact that Belarus restricts the right of citizens to gather information, although the Constitution guarantees it, the website of the Viasna HRC writes.

Inna Khomich has recently been fined 30 basic units for cooperation with foreign media without accreditation.

The journalist is not going to appeal against the decision of the first instance court as her colleagues do. "It seems senseless to me, I believe such an attempt is hardly to be fruitful. I do not plead guilty as I behave within the Constitution. Therefore, I want to appeal to the Constitutional Court. I know that they are not required to consider appeals of citizens and do so only "on request", but it seems to me that the current wave of trials against freelance journalists in Belarus gives a reason for that, "she said.

Inna Khomich decided to appeal to the Constitutional Court after when Raisa Labacheuskaia, the judge of the Mascouski district of Brest, did not accept the journalist's arguments that the Constitution granted rights for citizens of the Republic of Belarus to gather and disseminate information. "In response to my words the judge mentioned the law on mass media and said that it was due for performance. It turns out that the law on mass media is above the Constitution of the country", Inna Khomich stated.