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Journalist from Hrodna to address UN Committee

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Journalist from Hrodna to address UN Committee

The court of Hrodna region has not settled the claim of a freelance journalist from Hrodna Andrei Myaleshka.

The journalist is going to defend his rights at the United Nations Human Rights Committee, the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists writes.

Andrei Myaleshka challenged the ruling of Judge of Leninski district court of Hrodna Yury Kazakevich, who on December 2fined him for interviewing a professor of Hrodna University, Valery CHarapitsa, Radio Racyja informs.

In his complaint the journalist wrote that he believes his case had been considered biasedly, and he is convinced that Article 22 Part 9 of the Administrative Code, under which he had been tried, is not covering work without accreditation. Judge Anatoly Zayaz was considering the cassation appeal, and he supported the decision of the first-instance court.

Andrei Myaleshka is convinced that by its rulings both the first-instance court and Hrodna regional court deprive him of his right to engage in work, and he is illegally discriminated on political grounds.

A journalist and human rights activist Uladzimir Khilmanovich from Hrodna also told about today’s cassation decision.

“The deplorable conclusion is that the law does not have any force in Belarus. A freelance journalist stands trial, however he could not have come within the provisions of this law. And not only because the Constitution guarantees free distribution of information by each person, including a journalist. But in the first place because only editorial offices of mass media, not journalists personally, could be prosecuted under this article. However, it’s the third case of the same kind opened against Andrei Myaleshka. One could speak about a systematic persecution of the person for his political views, and in fact about an employment ban.

As a freelance journalist, Myaleshka has a right to disseminate information, and moreover, it’s information related to culture. Thus, local authorities are reducing the situation to absurdity, as they sue the journalist for activities which are beneficial for the society,” he said.

Andrei Myaleshka is going to file an appeal to the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee.

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