Another freelance journalist to stand trial

At 11 a.m. on December 11 hearings on an administrative case against the journalist Ales Zaleuski will take place at Slonim District Court.

The journalist, who collaborates with the Polish public TV (a part of which the satellite TV channel “BelSat” is) is charged with illegal production and distribution of media.

Ales Zaleuski was making a report about the corruption in the sphere of housing economy in Slonim. According to his information, the investigation of the facts voiced in the report has started.

However, the journalist is to be tried. He has already had a telephone conversation with the judge. “I asked who was the plaintiff. They answered that it was the local police department. It means that there are no victims in my case. However, the police department vigilantly monitors all production of independent media. As soon as there appears any information concerning their activities or the activities of state officials they are ready to pay such kind of reaction,” commented Mr. Zaleuski.

This is already the second administrative case against Ales Zaleuski. In May, he was sentenced to a fine of 4.5 million roubles in Karelichy under the same charges.

Recently, the administrative trials of freelance journalists have become systemic. Journalists are repeatedly punished with fines for activities on behalf of foreign media in the absence of accreditation.