Lukashenka Scared By International Reaction: Most Of Journalists Released

• 10.08.2018, 11:38

The regime can lose the right to host the European Games.

The Investigative Committee reports that they have completed the urgent actions in the BelTA case. The detained journalists are being released from prizon.

Tut.by editor Maryna Zolatava is accused of the work responsible person's inaction (Article 425, Part 2 of the Criminal Code). She faces a fine of up to 5 years in prison.

According to the Investigative Committee, she "actively cooperated with the investigation," that is why she was released.

The editor of the Belarusians and the Market newspaper's website, Aliaksei Zhukau, tut.by editor Hanna Kaltyhina, tut.by journalist Hanna Yermachonak, are already at large, tut.by reports.

The arrest of journalists and searches in the tut.by and BelaPAN editorial offices were followed by an operative and tough international reaction.

The demand to release the journalists was made by the Council of Europe and Reporters Without Borders. The European Union also called to release of journalists. Statements were also made by the German Foreign Ministry, the CDU / CSU faction in the Bundestag, the US Embassy in Belarus and some other European diplomats.

Co-chairman of the US Helsinki Commission, Congressman Christopher Smith said that the US government should make the protection of patriots and journalists of Belarus a top priority in relations with Lukashenka.

On August 8, the tut.by and BelaPAN editorial offices were visited by diplomats from the United States and the European Union.

Today, there also appeared the information that if journalists are not released, Lukashenka's regime may be deprived of the right to hold European games.