Iryna Makavetskaya Can Be Punished for Attempt to Get to Open Trial

Iryna Makavetskaya is the correspondent of Narodnaya Volia newspaper in Homel region. At 10 a.m. on 2 December at Homel Chyhunachny Borough Court there started the open trial about which the journalist wanted to report. In the very beginning of the trial the head of the court Tatsiana Adrybets ordered Makavetskaya to leave the court hall. The journalist refused to do it saying she would obey only to lawful demands of the court. As a result, Adrybets had to call the police, who detained Makavetskaya, took her to Homel Chyhunachny Borough Board of Internal Affairs and composed a protocol of violation of article 166 of the Code of Administrative Violations. This article provides fine or up to 15 days of jail as punishment.

The police didn’t admit the lawyer Leanid Sudalenka (head of Homel branch of national public association “Legal Initiative”) to witness the composition of the protocol.

The administrative case against Iryna Makavetskaya was passed to Homel Tsentralny Borough Court. The trial will start on 6 December.