Journalist Uladzimir Laptsevich files a supervisory appeal to Supreme Court

In October 2014 the journalist stopped being let to the sittings of Mahilioŭ Regional Council. During a personal audience the head of the council Anatol Isachanka told Mr. Laptsevich that he wasn't let to the sittings as he was absent in the “lists of the invited persons”.

BelaPAN is one of the largest news agencies in the Republic of Belarus, having an extensive network of journalists and official registration.

On November 24 the journalist again tried to get to an extraordinary session of the Council, but was again denied access with reference to his absence in the aforementioned lists. This was done by the main specialist of the council, Yauhen Nal'hachou, whose actions Uladzimir Laptsevich appealed in the complaint book. However, Anatol Isachanka found no flaws in the behavior of his colleague.

Therefore, the journalist had to appeal to the Lieninski District Court of Mahilioŭ. However, neither the Lieninski court, nor the judicial board on civil cases of the Mahilioŭ Regional Court granted his appeal. Chair of Mahilioŭ Regional Court also sided with the defendant.

Thus, the journalist had to appeal to the Supreme Court. In his appeal the journalist argues that none of the Belarusian laws prohibit attending the sittings of the council. Moreover, according to the law "On Mass Media", journalists have the right to gather, request and receive information from government agencies, political parties and other public associations, other legal entities, as well as to store and distribute information necessary to carry out their professional activities, and be present in areas of armed conflict or emergency situations, at public events and places of other socially important events and transmit information, in conformity with the order defined by the legislation of the Republic of Belarus.

The journalist asks to reverse the verdict of the Lieninski district court of Mahilioŭ and the judicial board on civil cases of the Mahilioŭ Regional Court, as well as find the actions of the head of Mahilioŭ Regional Council Anatol Isachanka and its main specialist Yauhen Nal'hachou unlawful.

"Mahilioŭ Viasna"