Ales Lyauchuk was sent a summons to the trial 14 minutes before its start, he was given a 612.5 BYN fine for reporting on corruption in Brest.
Judge of a Brest court Raman Karaban fined the journalist 25 basic units. Lyauchuk learned about the court hearing 14 minutes before the trial. The reason for the trial was the material about the corruption scheme of Brest officials.
Last year Belsat became aware that Shevchenko Street in Brest was repaired only in half, while the official report claimed it was done in full. Our film crew went there and filmed a story on the spot.
The story caused discontent with the local authorities.
On February 26, the police officer Raman Trafimuk handed Ales Lyauchuk a subpoena right in the shop. The next day, the police drafted a protocol on Lyauchuk under Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code (violation of the law on media production).
Trafimuk also gave the journalist a paper to sign that said that the trial would be held on March 2 in the court of the Maskouski district of Brest, but on that day the trial did not take place.
On the morning of March 3 at 9:46 AM Ales Lyauchuk received a text message that his case will be considered at 10:00.
“Besides that the Article 22.9 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus, used for trial of independent journalists, cannot be applied to individuals, the police and judges cannot perform their work in such a way as not to violate something,” said Ales Lyauchuk. “I was not duly notified of the hearing, so me and my lawyer, we will challenge this decision.” If the state does not punish bad workers, the mission of their re-education will certainly have to be taken over by me. “
It is interesting that in 2015 Raman Trafimuk already drew up the protocol on Lyauchuk, and Raman Karaban then fined the journalists 21 basic units. Since 2014, Lyauchuk has been tried five times under Article 22.9 and was sentenced to a fine of 146 basic units.
