Final charges laid against media manager Kanstantsin Zalatykh
The Belarusian Association of Journalists was informed that on 31 January, the final indictment was brought against Kanstantsin Zalatykh, director of the Belorusy i Rynok newspaper. He has been in custody for eight months now. As lawyers of political prisoners are bound by strict conditions on non-disclosure pledges, they refrain from any comments.
It is known that Kanstantsin Zalatykh was charged with several serious criminal charges, including “inciting social enmity”. This article provides for a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.
The case of Kanstantsin Zalatykh will shortly be passed to the prosecutor’s office for further submission to the court.
On 18 May 2022, KGB officers detained Kanstantsin Zalatykh, director of the Belorusy i Rynok newspaper, Yulia Kakhno, the newspaper’s bookkeeper, and Andrei Aleksandrovich, Belorusy i Rynok editor-in-chief.
Andrei Aleksandrovich and Yulia Kakhno were released from the KGB after interrogation and signed a non-disclosure pledge.
Belorusy i Rynok used to be the last independent edition issued in Belarus. It is a business newspaper mainly covering economic matters. However, in 2022, the newspaper suspended its publication after 32 years of printing.
On 23 July 2022, the Ministry of Information blocked access to the website of the newspaper in Belarus “due to linking to content declared extremist.” In early December last year, the newspaper suspended its publication after 32 years of printing.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Information unexpectedly restored access to the belmarket.by website, and it has been updated for a month now.
Чытайце ящэ:
Фактчэкінг у задней фэйкаў. Памятка, як журналісту не стаць ахвярай маніпуляций
«Суразмоўца медыя павинен разумець рызыку». Дискусія пра экстрэмізм и этику
«Пра людзей, якія змагаліся за волю»: бэкстэйдж са здымак кліпа Кацярыны Ваданосай