Editor-in-chief Imprisoned for 3 Years for Cartoons of Muhammad

Minsk City Court has sentenced the former editor-in-chief of Zhoda newspaper Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou to 3 years of imprisonment in a colony with a reinforced regime.

Zdzvizhkou was found guilty of inciting religious enmity or discord. The court has also decided to include the term of Zdzvizhkou’s arrest as the part of the sentence term

The trial was held behind the closed doors. On the request of the sides only the resultant part of the verdict was read. A. Zdzvizhkou was guarded. The verdict becomes effective on January 18, 2008 and an appeal could be lodged within 10 days, the judge announced.

The public prosecutor asked for 4 years of imprisonment for A. Zdzvizhkou in a colony with a reinforced regime.

A former deputy editor-in-chief of Zhoda newspaper Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou was charged with violation of the Article 130 Part 1 of the Crminal Code (Inciting racial, national or religious enmity).

In February 2006 the State Security Committee (KGB) opened a case for publication of cartoons on Muhammad after an enquiry was made by the prosecutor’s office of the country and the KGB.

The enquiry has been made basing on an address of Muslim communities of Belarus and of the Committee on Religious and Ethnic Affairs.

In the middle of March, 2006 Zhoda newspaper was liquidated by a decision of the Supreme Court of Belarus.

In the newspaper of February 18-26, 2006 an article “Political Creative Idea” was published.