Judges Are Forbidden to Disseminate Information On Legal Processes :: Charter'97 :: News

Judge of the Economic Court of Hrodna region Syarhei Kulakowski forbade the reporter of the newspaper “Dyen” to give details of the legal process on the suit of Volha Kunyawskaya against Hrodna regional executive committee. This case was considered in the Economic court of Hrodna region and attracted attention of all independent mass media in Hrodna, pahonia.promedia.by informs.

In the beginning of March 2003 Volha Kunyawskaya, wife of the publisher of the newspaper “Novaya Hazeta Smarhoni” Ramuald Ulan, applied for registration of private publishing enterprise “Region-Press”. However, the Hrodna executive committee declined this application even without explaining reasons for which Mrs. Kunyawskaya cannot establish an enterprise. Defending her rights, she took it into the court.

Before the sitting of the court judge Kulakowski said:
- I warn the reporters present here. According to the legislation in force, you can publish the information received at this sitting of the court only with my permission. If you do not follow this law, you are asking for trouble.

After these words correspondents of Radio Svaboda and newspaper “Birzha Informatsii” left the court sitting.