Measure of restraint for Andrzej Poczobut changed

Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza, is imprisoned in the temporary detention facility at the police department of Kastrychnitski district of Hrodna, where he had been placed at night. The measure of restraint for him has been changed.

Axana, Poczobut’s wife, went to the isolation ward to find out about her husband. She hopes to bring a parcel to him.

Andrzej Poczobut’s colleague, who is also a member of the opposition Union of Poles, Igor Bancer, who drove Andrzej to Minsk yesterday, informed Radio Svaboda about the details of the arrest. First their car was stopped in Hrodna, they were told to go to the prosecutor’s office of the region. The investigator read out a decree: Poczobut cannot leave the city. Andrzej refused to sign the written undertaking not to leave the place. He explained that the aim of his trip was related to his work, and that he was going to Minsk. Igor Bancer says after that they left the building of the prosecutor’s office and left for Minsk.

They were detained near Skidel next time. They managed to travel only 30 kilometres away. Andrej Poczobut was told that he had violated the written pledge not to leave town, and the measure of pre-trial restraint would be changed for him. After that the journalist was taken to the prosecutor’s office, and the lawyer Alyaksandr Birylau arrived there. Andrej Poczobut was informed that the measure of restrained for me had been changed form release on recognizance to arrest, and he was placed to the temporary detention facility at night.

A criminal case was opened against Andrej Poczobut for his articles in Gazeta Wyborcza and in his private blog. Poczobut is charged with insult of the president, he faces up to 2 years of imprisonment.