‘Charter Is Coming’: Natallia Radzina Speaks About The Most Exciting Meeting With Readers

People parted, making a ‘corridor’.

Charter’97, one of the oldest Belarusian information and political online news outlets, celebrated its 25th anniversary this autumn.

Natallia Radzina, the Editor-in-Chief of Charter97.org, speaks about the most exciting meeting with the website’s readers.

– Were there any interesting stories when readers suddenly recognized you on the street? Or did you recognize someone as your reader?

– This happens all the time. There were a lot of such cases.

These were always such joyful meetings when people just hug you like an old friend. That’s why I say that we are all close in spirit, as if “of the same blood.”

So, these were always very warm and joyful meetings – with the opportunity to discuss something, talk about something.

I am always very happy when people come up to me and say: “Thank you and your team for the work you do.”

This is really very important, and it seriously supports all journalists of the Charter’97 website.

– What was the most exciting moment of meeting with your readers?

– On the Square in 2010.

Of course, I was on the Square on December 19, 2010. Before I was arrested directly at the editorial office, I was first beaten in Independence Square, where that evening there was a mass protest against the falsification of the presidential elections.

I remember that I fell under the feet of the riot police, and was beaten and miraculously pulled out of there. They were to accompany me to the ambulance and suddenly someone said: “Oh, Charter is coming!” And then the people parted, making a corridor, and I walked through it and people clapped. I remembered this applause for the rest of my life. Even now, when I talk about this, tears come to my eyes.