Ivatsevichy police department questioned Belsat TV contributor Syarhei Skulavets over November’s news story about the updated law on mass media. It included video materials made in the town of Pinsk.
The case was sent to the department by Pinsk policemen who attempted to find the journalist and called his underaged son.
“The police started searching by contacting my relatives. One mobile phone number was registered in my name, but it is my teenage son who is using it. Therefore, police officers from Ivatsevichi police department phoned him and asked to talk to me. During the conversation, they called me in to the police station for questioning. They said the Pinsk-related article was the case,” Syarhei Skulavets said.
The journalist worked on the news item when being in Belsat TV editorial office in Warsaw; he just used footage filmed by Pinsk-based cameramen.
“As a rule, editors task cameramen with filming and making pictures. Therefore, I did not violate the country’s law. In the end, the police asked me to show them stamps in my passport that could prove my being abroad,” he said.
Finding no evidence of Skulavets’ being involved in making videos in Pinsk, the police stopped administrative proceedings against him.
***
Over the past two years, our contributors have got fines exceeding $74,000; most of them were imposed in Minsk and Homiel regions. In addition, the police and security services launch raids, prevent journalists from appearing at the scene, take them to police stations and then force to pay hefty fines.
