Office of Public Prosecutor to consider issue of returning property to journalists again

"The Belarusian Association of Journalists” has received another refusal to its appeal from Minsk Office of Public Prosecutor. It promised to reconsider the issue of returning computers and other property confiscated during searches on March 27 and 28 to journalists. It will happen after “the property is thoroughly checked”. The Office of Public Prosecutor repeated that the searches were conducted according to an investigation started in 2005. It was connected with a criminal case against A. Minich, P.Marozau and A.Abozau who were accused of “slandering the President” (p.1 of art. 367 of the CC of RB).

Let us remind you that BAJ turned to the Attorney General of Belarus Ryhor Vasilevich at the beginning of April. The appeal was connected with searches conducted in the flats of independent journalists on March 27 and 28. BAJ insisted on “establishment of justice, returning the confiscated property and protection of rights and interests of journalists guaranteed by the law”.

Copies of the appeal were sent to the head of Belarusian KGB Yury Zhadobin and Minsk Public Prosecutor Mikalai Kulik. Then the Attorney General replied that he had sent the appeal of BAJ to Minsk Office of Public Prosecutor. KGB has not given any reply yet.

BAJ press service