Judge in Mahiliou reprimanded for disclosing private info in TS case

Stanislau Leuchanka, a judge of the Mahiliou District Court, has received a reprimand for disclosing private details of the trial of a transsexual in a report published by the local government-run newspaper Viacherni Mahiliou.

The publication featured offensive information about a resident of the village of Makarantsy (pictured), who was accused of a theft, which was widely criticized by the Belarusian society. The publication was labeled “the worst article in the history of independent Belarus”. It was discussed by an ethics committee of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, which stated that the authors of the publication did not have the right to disclose intimate details of the citizen.

Reporters found out the editor of Viacherni Mahiliou Nadzeya Leuchanka is the mother of Judge Stanislau Leuchanka, who disclosed the details of the case.

The decision to reprimand the judge has been reported by local human rights activist Aliaksandr Khamratau who had filed a complaint about the incident to the Chairman of the Mahiliou Regional Court.

“The response that I received indicates that on 20 February 2015 Judge Leuchanka was subjected to disciplinary action in the form of a reprimand. I hope that it will be a good lesson for him,” said Aliaksandr Khamratau.