Zgoda journalists fined

27.09.2005.

Aliaxei Karol, the editor of the independent newspaper Zgoda, and his deputy Aliaxandr Sdzvizhkou have been fined 100 basic units each (approximately, 1200 US dollars). The Pershamaiski Court of Minsk has ruled. The court punished the heads of the independent periodical for "releasing knowingly untruthful information".
At the 26 September press conference Aliaxei Karol said that the reason for the court ruling was the collages printed in several issues of the Zgoda. The journalists used famous paintings, for example, those by Salvador Dali, where instead of the original faces they placed the images of several Belarusian politicians who, as emphasized Mr. Karol, did not represent only the incumbent government.
Aliaxei Karol, who is a professional historian, says that the court ruling reminded him of 1937.
"This is the tradition of the year 1937. I say this as a historian who has found the 1930s documents. We look almost like enemies of the people. Implications are treated as if they were offences", said the journalist in an interview with the Radio Liberty.
On 24 March the police searched the Zgoda office and took away all of the office equipment. So far they have not given it back, says Mr. Karol.