Prosecutor doesn't like coverage of natural disaster

Anatol Hatouchyts, a member of the Homel branch of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, was called to appear in a prosecutor's office on May 24.

Dzimitry Dziaboi, a senior aide to the regional prosecutor, explained that the prosecution agency “had information that Hatouchyts had made a video report for Belsat TV channel about a flood in Homel on April 24”.

The journalist said he was ready to visit the prosecutor's office, but only if an official summons was sent to him. Anatol Hatouchyts received the summons for 14:00 on May 24, Viasna human rights centre reports.

Anatol Hatouchyts came to the prosecutor's office at the appointed time, but regional prosecutor's senior aide Dzimitry Dziaboi was absent from office. Anatol waited for him for 40 minutes and went away.

“Though I didn't made this report, I have a question why prosecution agencies do not protect constitutional rights of citizens to receive and distribute information,” the journalist said about the summons to the prosecutor's office. “The report was about a natural disaster, about people's life and health.”