“Pahonya” Journalists to Stand Trial for Protesting Against Periodical’s Closure :: Charter'97 :: News

Independent newspaper “Pahonya” correspondents Andjei Pisalnik and Pavel Mozheiko, along with their editor-in-chief Nikolai Markevich faced police protocols over the administrative violations – for holding an unsanctioned picket in defense of the newspaper, shut down upon the ruling of the Supreme Economic Court (art.167/1 of the Administrative code). The protest took place November 19 in the Sovietskaya str. in Grodno and attracted over a hundred participants – journalists and readers, who unfurled banners, condemning the restriction of the freedom of speech in Belarus.

After the action’s termination three journalists were summoned to the police station of the Leninsky district where the law-enforcers drew protocols on administrative misdemeanor. On November 20 the cases of Andjei Pisalnik and Pavel Mozheiko will be considered in the Leninsky district court of Grodno. Trial over the editor of “Pahonya” Nikolai Markevich will take place later upon his return from Poland. In no time after the picket Nikolai Markevich headed to Poland to meet some influential politicians there. The Belarusian journalist plans to bring up an idea to hold hearings over the closure of the democratic newspaper and clampdown on the freedom of speech in Belarus.

Today in Vilnius representatives of the Belarusian community picketed against “Pahonya’s” closure in front of the building, that hosts the session of the PACE Political Committee.