Hlubokaye Court Awarded Large Fine To Journalist

Dzmitry Lupach has been tried in two administrative cases.

On April 11, Hlubokaye District Court fined independent journalist Dzmitry Lupach 40 basic units (1,020 rubles) in total in two administrative cases.

The trial was held by judge Stanislau Trapuk.

According to Radio Racyja, Dzmitry Lupach was tried under Part 2 of Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (illegal production and distribution of media products) and under Part 1 of Article 23.34 (violation of the procedure for organizing or conducting mass events).

In the first case, the journalist was tried for the piece on the TV channel Belsat, in the second case, for raising a white-red-white flag during Freedom Day celebrations. As the policemen wrote in the protocol, in this way he publicly expressed his political interests in connection with the anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic.

Judge Stanislau Trapuk first said that he would fine Dzmitry 36 basic units in the first case and 10 – in the second, 40 basic units in the result of partial addition, which is 1020 rubles.

At the end of the trial, Judge Stanislau Trapuk said that a letter would be sent to the Hlubokaye District Department of Internal Affairs regarding the deficiencies that were revealed during the trial. The protocol against journalist Dzmitry Lupach had been drawn up by police lieutenant Viktar Hiryn and police captain Siarhei Tsyrban. Incidentally, he was in the capacity of a witness along with a police cadet Aliaksei Yurhel in the case that was started against the journalist by Hlubokaye police lieutenant Viktar Hiryn.

During the celebration of Freedom Day by Hlubokaye activists, Siarhei Tsyrban together with other policemen was capturing them on video.