Minsk Journalist arrested for Muhammad cartoons

Minsk city court has resumed proceedings in the case of former deputy editor-in-chief of “Zhoda” newspaper Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou. He is charged with inciting religious enmity. A former “Zhoda” editor-in-chief Alyaksei Karol received information from the city court that Zdzvizhkou is under arrest.

On the last but one day of the previous year a former “Zhoda’ editor Alyaksei Karol received a summons to the court as a witness in the case of his former assistant. He told Radio Svaboda about details of this case:

“This case initiated after newspaper published cartoons of Muhammad in “Zhoda” newspaper. They were copied from the web. It was in February 2006. On February 16 the newspaper’s publishing was stopped by the Supreme Economic Court. A criminal action was brought up for publication of the cartoons. Investigation was carried out, a search in my apartment, which is in fact the editorial office, was held.

As during the investigation Zdzvizhkou was the main accused, the case was suspended, when he disappeared from Minsk and from Belarus. He was put on the wanted list.

The case was taken to the court, but the proceedings were suspended, as the chief accused. On December 30 last year I received summons to appear in the court on January 11, 2008 at 2 p.m. as a witness. I know that several other persons from the editorial office of “Zhoda”. I didn’t know where Zdzvizhkou was, but I knew he was searched, as I had been asked about him.

Then I was to explain that these cartons had been reprinted by Zdzvizhkou at his own discretion, without my authorization. It was a high profile case. I stopped dissemination of the newspaper then. In fact, the matter concerned freedom of expression and feelings of believers. I had made my choice in favour of believers’ feelings. It was not a political moment when such cartoons could be reprinted.

But for today almost 2 years have passed, and that publication couldn’t cause religious and ethnic enmity, and haven’t caused it. That is why I hope the trial would be finished by Zdzvizhkou’s release”.

Under Article 130 Part 1 of the Criminal Code “Incitement of religious enmity”, Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou faces up to 5 years of imprisonment.