BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

13/04/2007

Belarusian Journalists Demand Release Of Imprisoned Regime's Opponent

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) has issued a statement demanding the release of United Civic Party member Andrey Klimau, who was taken into custody last week, Belapan reported on April 12. Prosecutors accused Klimau of insulting President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in articles published on the website ucpb.org. "The investigators have treated the global Internet as the media, though Belarusian laws say nothing about this. The politician may face up to five years in prison for articles posted on the Internet," the BAJ said in its statements. "Prosecution for expressing an opinion is a well-established tradition in the Republic of Belarus. Thus, Hrodna-based journalists Pavel Mazheyka and Mikalay Markevich, as well as the editor of the 'Rabochy' newspaper, Viktar Ivashkevich, were sentenced to restricted freedom in 2002," the statement read. AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/04/3-CEE/cee-130407.asp