Hearing of «Vitebsk Kuryer M» Newspaper Appeal Assigned on February 12 :: Charter'97 :: News

The hearing of the “Vitebsk Kuryer M” non-governmental newspaper appeal on the decision of the Vitebsk region Economic Court is assigned on February 12, at 15 o’clock. The case will be heard in the Economic court premises on the address: Vitebsk, Praudy Str. 22, room #409.

It should be reminded that the Vitebsk region Economic Court judge Mrs. Volga Gatsila paid a claim of the “Elsan” enterprise to the newspaper about the contract of tenancy invalidation. According to this decision, the editorial has to vacate premises, rented in the “Elsan” public corporation.

The “Elsan” public corporation administration informed the “Vitebsk kuryer” editorial that they urgently cancel the contract of tenancy, concluded with the newspaper two months earlier, and demanded to vacate the premises within two days at the beginning of December, 2006. Though, according to the contract terms, the premises were rented until August 31, 2007.

The editorial that moved to a new office at the end of October only, refused to fulfill the demand, following which the renter took legal action.

The “Vitebsk Kuryer M” is in a difficult condition now: the editorial received a letter from the Ministry of Information in two days after the court decision on January 12, with the warning that, if they don’t submit the registration confirmation in two weeks term, the editing may be suspended for breaking the article 11 of the Law on Press (when changing the editorial location the founder has to inform about it the registering body in a written way within one month term). The newspaper received a warning for breaking this article on December 6.

Meanwhile, the “Vitebsk Kuryer” founder can’t register changes and additions in adjusting documents, including new editorial address, for four months already. Vitebsk Pershamaisky district authorities refuse to accept appropriate papers for the statute re-registration, referring for a new reason every time.

The international journalist human rights organization “Reporters Without Borders” condemned “juridical and administrative persecution” of the newspaper on January 24.

The BAJ Press Service