Great interrogation: Belarusian authorities against journalists

Independent journalists Natallya Radzina, Svyatlana Kalinkina and Iryna Khalip have been summoned to the Interior Affairs Department of Pershamajski district of Minsk on April 2.

The tree journalists are called in for questioning by a senior interrogating officer of the Interior Affairs department of Homel Alyaksandr Puseu. The journalist of charter97.org website Natallya Radzina was told by the senior interrogating officer that she is called in as a witness in the framework of the so-called "hunters' case" and to be familiarized with the ruling about seizure of computer equipment from charter97.org news office.

The wife of the leader of "European Belarus" civil campaign Andrei Sannikov, a journalist of Russian "Novaya Gazeta" newspaper Iryna Khalip is also called in for interrogation, the interrogating officer said, to familiarize her with the odrer on computer and data carriers seizure.

The editor-in-chief of "Narodnaya Volya" Svyatlana Kalinkina has been also called in the police department of Pershamajski district of Minsk. She was interrogated in this case on March 26. On the same day the deputy editor of "Narodnaya Volya" Maryna Koktysh was interrogated as well.

Computers of all the four journalists were seized on March 16. Human rights activists are convinced that crackdown on Natallya Radzina, Iryna Khalip, Maryna Koktysh and Svaytlana Kalinkina as a part of "the hunters' case" is just a pretext for Belarusian authorities to destroy what is left from the freedom of expression in Belarus.

Natallya Radzina

A journalist of charter97.org website. She is in journalism since 1997. She worked in such country's independent newspapers as newspapers "Imya", "Narodnaya Volya", "Naviny", "Nasha Svaboda". All these newspapers were closed over the period of Alyaksandr Lukashenka's rule. She underwent arrests and battery by policemen while she covered oppositional rallies. On March 16 during the search in the news office of charter97.org website she was punched in the face by a policeman in mufti. In 2010 she was nominated by "Index on Censorship" for “Freedom of Expression” Award for fighting repression, or struggling to change political climates and perceptions.

Iryna Khalip

A personal correspondent of “Novaya Gazeta” in Belarus. Worked as deputy editor of the newspaper “Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta” and editor of the weekly paper “Imya”, both closed by the authorities. Suffered from several criminal persecutions for her professional activity, got warning from a prosecutor’s office. She and her father Uladzimir Khalip, a playwright and documentary filmmaker, were brutally beaten at a demonstration against the union with Russia on April 2, 1997. Received threats to her life at the end of last year. Winner of Zmitser Zavadski Prize (2003), Henri Nannen Prize (2005), Hero of Europe Prize in the nomination Brave Heart (2005), Courage in Journalism Award (2009).

Svyatlana Kalinkina

Has been working as a journalist since 1987. after Lukashenka had come to power, left office of a political observer in BelTA state-run news agency and joined independent journalism. A former editor of “Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta”, editor of the monthly journalistic investigation “BDG. For Official Use Only”. After the paper had been closed, worked for the newspaper “Narodnaya Volya” as a chief editor. Laureate of Herd Gerd Bucerius Prize founded by German Zeit, laureate of the prize of the Committee to Protect Journalists (New York). She and Pavel Sheremet (Sheramet) wrote a book The Accidental President.

Maryna Koktysh

Deputy editor of the newspaper “Narodnaya Volya”. Has been in journalism for 15 years working for “Narodnaya Volya”. Won a diploma of the United Civil Party “For Best Journalistic Work” in the nomination “Want to Know the Truth!”, winner of the Anatol Maisenya Prize, the national award in human rights, Zmitser Zavadski Prize “For Courage and Professionalism”.