Journalist Hruzdzilovich issued with official warning
Aleh Hruzdzilovich received an official
warning, singed by the first deputy prosecutor of Minsk Ramanouski,
concerning the article "Who blasted Minsk metro?"
As
it is stated in the warning, the journalist "conducted an action
for entering the metro station "Frunzenskaya" with metallic
items in his back which reminded of the one used by the organizers of
the terrorist act in Minsk metro".
On 10 April Aleh
Hruzdzilovich prepared an article about the work of the police guards
in the metro. The prosecutor's officer points that the journalist
published at the web-site of Radio "Liberty" "a
critical article, "With a large bag in the metro: they checked
me once in two cases and didn't look in the bag" with a video
accompaniment."
According to the warning, there was a
presentation of the book "Who blasted Minsk metro?" by Aleh
Hruzdzilovich "which puts to doubt the official results of the
investigation into the criminal case concerning the blast in Minsk
metro and the fairness of the Belarusian court system in
general".
The warning also states that "in case of
presentation to a foreign state, foreign or international
organization of knowingly non-true data about the political,
economic, social military and international situation of the Republic
of Belarus and the legal situation of citizens of the Republic of
Belarus which discredit the Republic of Belarus and its power organs"
the journalist can be drawn to account.
"I was taken
explanations concerning the episode of the journalist examination of
10 April at metro station "Frunzenskaya". However, as I
found out they didn't pay much interest to it, they had already had
the official warning prepared.
The procedure of taking
explanations wasn't yet over when the deputy prosecutor Ramanouski
entered the room and signed the official warning for me. I was
presented it as soon as the printer printed my explanations and I
signed them. They had no interest in my position: whether I violated
anything or no. They had already decided that I had violated, I had
discredited and doubted in the court system when I had written the
book."
Mr. Hruzdzilovich considers such actions of the
authorities as pressurization of journalists.
"These
authorities don't need the people who will hold check-ups and doubt
in anything. Natallia Zhukavets, who conducted the prosecutorial
examination, said "You wrote a book about the blast in the
metro. Why do you doubt the decisions of the investigation?" She
treats my doubt as a crime. I feel the air of 1937 – as nothing
stops these people. They are sure they must do as their principals
told them. I am especially impressed by the phrase – "put do
doubt the fairness of the Belarusian court system in general".
As if I cannot doubt in it. The country where people cannot have
doubts doesn't need any journalists."
