Former Employees Of Information Company 'Ranak' Detained Again In Svetlahorsk

Ranak itself was liquidated several months ago.

Another wave of detentions and interrogations of former employees of the Ranak media company took place in Svetlahorsk on December 7, human rights activists report. Ranak itself was liquidated several months ago.

"Former editor-in-chief Yulia Dauletava was taken to the Zhlobin temporary detention centre after interrogation in the local department of the Investigative Committee. She is a suspect in some criminal case of clearly political colouring," ex-employee of the outlet Andrei Lipski wrote on Facebook.

According to him, Liudmila Andzenka was also detained and sent to the temporary detention centre. There is also no contact with director Alena Shcherbin.

"My relatives received calls from the police demanding access to my flat in Svetlahorsk. Otherwise, "we will open with the Ministry of Emergency Situations". These are the things that are happening today in the Blue Eyed..." Lipski noted.

According to human rights activists, the two women were detained in a criminal case under Article 361-1 of the Criminal Code (Assistance to extremist activity). Now they are in the temporary detention centre in Zhlobin.

We remind you that in August it was reported about the detention of the editor of the Ranak information company, Yulia Dauletava. Before that, eight employees of the media were detained on June 9, and then tried for "distribution of extremist materials" - they were sentenced to days of arrest and fined.

According to human rights activists, then the reason was the coverage of the accident at the pulp and cardboard mill in Svetlahorsk, which took place on June 7. "Homel Viasna" claims that the initiator was Maryna Hrayushava - head of the department of ideological work, culture and youth affairs of Svetlahorsk District Executive Committee. She allegedly asked the employees of the TV channel: "Are you with us or not?", to which she received the answer: "We are ahead of you".