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Hoimel Journalist Appeals To UN Human Rights Committee

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Hoimel Journalist Appeals To UN Human Rights Committee
LARYSA SHCHYRAKOVA
PHOTO: SVABODA.ORG

Larysa Shchyrakova is trying to find justice in the UN to stop the arbitrariness of the Belarusian authorities.

Deputy Chairman of the Homel branch of the NGO "Belarusian Association of Journalists", freelance journalist Larysa Shchyrakova filed a complaint with the UN Committee on Human Rights on the violations of the right to receive and disseminate information, human rights center "Viasna" writes. The BAJ lawyer Leanid Sudalenka, who will handle the journalist’s case in an international instance, has informed this.

On January 13 this year, a judge of the Homel region Aliaksandr Lisouski sentenced Shchyrakova to a large fine for her cooperation with the Polish TV channel "Belsat", which showed her report on the problems of rural residents in the village Urytskaye. On April 15, the judge of the Central district court of Homel Aliaksandr Piskunou punished her with another large fine for the report on refugees, filmed in Homel branch of the Red Cross.

"In Belarus, I passed all stages of judicial protection with no result. I also appealed with the supervisory complaint to the Prosecutor General, but in vain. It turns out, there is no protection on “BelSAT cases” in our country, so I used the only possible mechanism to protect my rights at the international level," – Shchyrakova has said.

The BAJ lawyer Leanid Sudalenka, who helps victims of violations apply to international organizations, said that the case of the journalist revealed a number of inconsistencies of the national legislation with the international agreements of Belarus.

"The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees everyone the freedom to gather and disseminate information. Our own national law on the media excessively restricts the very essence of that right. I am sure that in this case these violations of journalists' rights will be determined," – he has said.

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