Independent journalists called in for questioning again

Natallya Radzina, Iryna Khalip, Svyatlana Kalinkina, and Maryan Koktysh are to appear in the Pershamaiski district militia department in Minsk on April 28.

The journalists are again called in by senior interrogating officer of the Interior Affairs department of Homel Alyaksandr Puseu. As the journalists were told, he planned to familiarize them with the check-up of the computers seized from them.

Editor of the newspaper “Narodnaya Volya” Svyatlana Kalinkina, who was seized two computers, at work and at home, was called in at noon. The newspaper’s deputy editor Maryna Koktysh, who was also seized two computers, – at 12:30 p.m. Iryna Khalip, a journalist of “Novaya Gazeta” and wife of European Belarus civil campaign leader Andrei Sannikov, who was seized a computer and data storage devices is to appear in the militia department at 1:00 p.m. Journalist of charter97.org website Natallya Radzina, who was seized 8 computers, was called in at 1:30 p.m.

We remind that searches and seizure of computers were carried out under the pretext of investigating a criminal case over libel against Ivan Korzh, the head of the Homel region KGB department.

We remind that militia officers refused to write down serial numbers of each system units during the search in the charter97.org office, which contradicts the law. Besides, plainclothes militiamen tried to burst into the apartment using force, without showing a search warrant, and hit journalist Natallya Radzina in the face.

Radzina earlier said she fears any information could be placed in the computers during the so called “examination” in order to further persecute the journalists.

The journalist complained about the actions of the militia to the Leninski district prosecutor’s office in Minsk. However, the prosecutor’s office ignored the violations of the law by the militia. Besides, Natallya Radzina’s claim to open a criminal case against the militiamen, who had abuse their power, was dismissed. It is evident that honour of a KGB general is more important for prosecutors, who think that beating of journalists may go unpunished.