Police Refuses To Initiate Case Against Journalist Of Lukashenka Newspaper

Ihar Kuzniatsou intends to bring Mukavozchyk to criminal responsibility for libel.

Historian Ihar Kuzniatsou applied to the Prosecutor's Office of Savetski district of Minsk with a request to bring to justice an author of the state newspaper SB. Belarus Today, Andrei Mukavozchyk. He referred to Kuzniatsou as a "false historian" in his article.

The researcher of Stalin's repressions took such a step after Mukavozchyk's blog called "False Historians" appeared on the website of the pro-governmental newspaper on April 17.

"The publication contains knowingly untrue information stating that candidate of sciences Ihar Kuzniatsou is a "false historian," - the complainant notes. - This information does not correspond to reality, humiliates my honor, dignity and business reputation as a candidate of historical sciences, a certified specialist in the history of Soviet repressions, associate professor of the Department of Diplomatic and Consular Service of the Faculty of International Relations of the Belarusian State University."

Before addressing the Prosecutor's Office, Ihar Kuzniatsou sent a statement to the editor-in-chief of SB. Belarus Today, Dzmitry Zhuk, demanding to refute the information, but was turned down. However, the mentioned article disappeared from the website. Then the historian asked to conduct a prosecutor's investigation and bring Mukavozchyk to criminal responsibility for libel.

However, according to Ihar Kuzniatsou, the prosecutor's office redirected his statement to the police department of Savetski district of Minsk, saying that it was the competence of the police. The police replied that it had been established as a result of the check-up that there were no grounds for administrative proceedings under Article 9.2 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus (defamation) against the author of the article "False Historians" Mukavozchyk.

On June 20, Ihar Kuzniatsou appealed to the Minsk City Prosecutor's Office - this time his application was registered. He still insists on initiating a criminal case against Mukavozchyk and believes that the police's check-up was superficial.