TWO BABRUJSK JOURNALISTS DETAINED BEFORE "CHARNOBYLSKI SHLIAH"

27.04.2006.

On April 26 no journalists were detained during "Charnobylski Shliah - 2006" in Minsk. Nevertheless, BAJ was informed that two journalists from an independent newspaper "Bobrujskij Kurjer" had been detained in Babrujsk before the meeting. They are accused of violating art 156 of the Administrative Code and they will stand trial today.
The editor-in-chief of "Bobrujskij Kurjer" Mikhalai Sanatsenka informed BAJ that the edition's freelance reporters Mikita Bytsenka and Yury Sveliakou had been stopped by the police in the street on April 25. Their documents were checked and then the journalists were allowed to go. But a bit later the policemen received a phone call and detained the journalists.
Mikita Bytsenka and Yury Sveliakou stayed at the police office till April 26 and were released at 1 p.m. During the hearing of their case (on the evening of April 26) they found out that they were accused of misdemeanor (bad language during the detention). Neither Mikita Bytsenka nor Yury Sveliakou pled guilty. The trial was postponed till April 27 because witnesses for the prosecution did not appear before the court. The sentence is expected to be pronounced today.
Source: The BAJ Press Service