Andrey Shantarovich Stops Hungering on 21st Day

12.11.2004.

The chief editor of the Mestnaya Gazeta newspaper Andrey Shantarovich stopped the hunger strike on the 21st day and informed the public about it in a special letter:

-- Twenty days are enough for thinking and comprehending the events connected with the Mestnaya Gazeta. I stop the hunger strike because I don’t want to draw the attention to my problem in such a way.

We should remind that the reason for the hunger strike was the decision of the Ministry of Information to stop the issue of the newspaper. The chief editor demanded to set this decision aside and to competently investigate the facts of violations of the electoral legislation he had in disposal.

A. Shantarovich expressed his gratitude to the readers who gathered thousands of signatures in defense of the newspaper, to his colleagues and Belarusian Association of Journalists.

-- You are right: I am more useful to people when alive and healthy then when week and dead, -- he said.

Press-service of Belarusian Association of Journalists