News

The Investigative Committee of Belarus works in collaboration with the National Committee to Protect Journalists of the Belarusian Union of Journalists, as well as the "Authorized Representative for the Protection of Journalists" of BUJ Alexander Shpakouski.

On January 12 Frunzenski district court of Minsk received the criminal case of Belsat journalists Katsiaryna Andreyeva (Bakhvalava) and Daria Chultsova.

The probe into Katsyaryna Andreyeva’s case might have been completed, her husband, investigative journalist Ihar Ilyash, surmised after reading the latest letter from the wife. As Andreyeva’s defence lawyers had to sign gag orders, they have no right to inform anyone (even her relatives) about the course and details of the investigation. However, in the letter Ilyash received on Ianuary 9, the imprisoned journalist wrote that she was awaiting the transfer to Minsk. “As it follows from the context of the letter, she talks about transporting her to court. It is quite logical: Katsyaryna was put in Zhodzina [remand prison] for the time of the investigation. As she has grounds to count on being transferred to Minsk, it means that the investigation has been over and one might expecte that she will be tried soon,” Ihar Ilyash said. However, it has not been reported officially whether and when the transfer and the trial will take place. “I don’t even make any projections for the future. I am ready for anything. It is pretty hard to surprise me now,” Katsyaryna Andreyeva says in her letter.

Political prisoner Ihar Losik remains behind bars so far: on January 11, a Minsk court dismissed a complaint filed by his defence lawyer and let the detainer stand, RFE/RL reports.

At 10:30 a.m. police came to the office of Hantsavitski Chas newspaper with a search warrant.

Five Press Club representatives whose homes were searched on Tuesday are now behind bars.

In the morning Andrei Bastunets was interrogated as a witness in a criminal case, instigated under Article 361 of the Criminal Code (calls to actions aimed at causing harm to the national security of the Republic of Belarus).

On December 16, BAJ chairman Andrei Bastunets will have to come to the Central office of the Investigative Committee of Belarus for interrogation.