Journalists Yuliya Darashkevich and Iryna Kozlik punished with fines
In the evening of 8 August police detained journalists
Yuliya Darashkevich and Iryna Kozlik while they were making photos for a
virtual poster with paratrooper bears within the frames of a solidarity action
with the imprisoned photographer Anton Surapin.
The journalists were charged under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative
Offenses, violation of the rules of organizing and holding mass events.
Iryna Kozlik is a journalist with “Komsomoslkaya Pravda v Belarusi” and Yuliya
Darashkevich is a freelance photographer.
At 10.20 a.m.
the detainees were guarded to the Savetski District Court in Minsk. Their friends and relatives and human
rights activists gathered near the court entrance. The car with the journalists
was photographed by journalists.
10.35 a.m. Yuliya Darashkevich's case to be considered by Judge Dzmitry
Pauliuchenka. According to the detention report, the reason for the detention
of Darashkevich and Kozlik was “picketing by making photos”. (RFE/RL)
10.50 a.m. Police blocked the court entrance, thus preventing the majority of
journalists from getting to the trial. Some human rights defenders are present
in the court room.
11.00 a.m. Journalist Iryna Kozlik is tried first by Dzmitry Pauliuchenka. “She
held a plate “There is a serious issue with freedom of expression in Belarus. Will
Lukashenka imprison teddy bears?”, - reads the detention report.
11.25 a.m. Iryna's lawyer solicited for questioning the policemen who had
detained her. The judge announced a break to call them to the court.
11.40 a.m. Siarhei Shelest and Aliaksandr Sukhaverkh to appear as witnesses in
Iryna Kozlik's case.
12.05 a.m. Kozlik's lawyer stated that as far as the police officers had
confessed that there had been no picket, the journalist and there is no crime
in holding a toy in one's hands outdoors, Kozlik must be freed and all charges
must be dropped.
11.55 a.m. The judge went out to make a decision on Kozlik's case.
1.10 p.m. Iryna Kozlik was sentenced to a fine of 3 million rubles (about
$360).
1.20 p.m. Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka started trying Yuliya Darashkevich. He
allowed her to use the services of a lawyer and announced a ten-minute break
for studying the case materials.
2.05 p.m. Yuliya Darashkevich pleads innocent. She says that she is a
professional photographer and she was just doing her work.
2.35 p.m. The judge announced a break to issue a verdict.
2.55 p.m. Yuliya Darashkevich was fined 3 million rubles too.
