Vadzim Dounar Fined

On June 21 the court of Leninski district of Minsk fined a Belarusian journalist, a correspondent of the Russian newspaper Kommersant Vadzim Dounar (Vadim Dovnar) 1 basic unit (31,000 BYR). He has been found guilty of petty hooliganism. This is the end of the story of the journalists detention near the building of the presidential administration in April.

As the press service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists was told by V. Dounar, hearings lasted for less then 7 minutes. Judge granted a hearing to the officer of presidential guard Illya Plotnikau, who detained the journalist on April 21 and called in police. (Dounar learnt about the work of Plotnikau from a police report). Mr. Plotnikau stated that V. Dounar used foul language in the street and insulted the head of the state. Judge Yuliya Shumskaya stated that Dounar was guilty of violation of the Article 156 of the Administrative Code and sentenced him to a fine equal to 1 basic unit. The journalists underlined that he had not been sent a request for summon. Only lawyer Larysa Anamanchyk got the summons. The journalist decided to attend the court in order to close the chapter on this case. The period of limitation is expiring today.

V. Dounar believes that I. Plotnikau could be present in the rallies after elections in the streets of Minsk and saw the journalist there. It is likely that he recognized me and stopped. When he saw a journalists license, he decided to take revenge, Dounar said.
Source: www.charter97.org