Police inspector questions independent journalist about "BelSat" staff
Independent journalist Barys Vyrvich
In the morning of 2 May an inspector of
Byalynichy District Police Department, police lieutenant Alaksandr
Yemyalyanau, paid a visit to the private house in the agrarian
settlement of Vyalikaya Mashchanitsa. He said that the main reason
for the visit was the wish to find out how the information about the
"Lebyadzyanka" farm got to the satellite TV channel
"BelSat" and whether the journalists who shot the report
were members of "BelSat" staff.
"Inspector
Alaksandr Yemyalyanau came to my private house at 9.40 a.m."
says Barys Vyrvich. "He tried to find out whether I lived
together with my family and issued the "Mahilyouski Vybar"
newspaper. The formal reason for the visit was the statement of the
officer of the "Lebyadzyanka" farm Mikhail Bialou, nephew
of the former head of the farm Pyatro Byalou that he had been
allegedly slandered by Valery Vusik during the visits of the
independent journalists to the "Lebyadzyanka" farm on 28
February 2013. However, it remains unclear what relation I can have
to this statement and this report, as far as I wasn't present during
its shooting, as well as where from Mikhail Byalou's complaint
suddenly appeared.
I was also surprised that the main
questions which interested Alaksandr Yemyalyanau were since what time
"Mahilyouski Vybar" has been issued, who shot the video at
"Lebyadzyanka" and how these materials appeared at
"BelSat". It is rather strange: what relation can
"Mahilyouski Vybar" and my person have to the report about
the stock-raising farm where I was many years ago.
In general,
I have the impression that the police officer was mostly interested
in the independent journalists who had shot the report and their
possible cooperation with the TV channel "BelSat", as the
majority of questions were asked about them. I answered most of them
that simply – "I don't know". At 10.20 a.m. Alaksandr
Yemyalyanau finished composing the report of questioning and left. I
would also like to point that the questions he asked me while drawing
the report had been prepared in advance."
