Police and Belarusian TV Stalk US Diplomat in Brest :: Charter'97 :: News

The head of the political and economic department of US Embassy to Belarus Derek Hogan came on a visit to Brest on 23 September. During his stay in the city the diplomat and his moves were watched by law enforcement and the state television.

One of the meetings by Mr. Hogan was devoted to the status of the independent regional press in Belarus and took place in the editorial office of the Brestskiy kurier. At the very start of the visit a crew of the local TV company came to the room, with the cameraman starting to shoot the meeting participants right away. Derek Hogan got most of the attention, though the journalists of the state television did not ask him any questions, reported Radio Liberty.

All the time the US diplomat spent in the editorial office, there was a police car outside the building and the same crew from the local TV channel. Mikalai Aliaxandrau, the Brestski kurier editor, does not rule out that the video will be used for propaganda purposes in the state television programs.

The information department of "Viasna"