BelaPAN journalists summoned for fresh interrogations in 'BELTA case'
Photo: tvr.by
BelaPAN's Dmitry Novozhilov and Roman Salikov have been summoned by the Investigation Committee for questioning on 27 September as witnesses in the so called 'ВELTA case.' BelaPAN journalist Tatsiana Karavenkova, a suspect in this case, will be interrogated on the same day. Yet nother suspect, BelaPAN's editor-in-chief Iryna Leushyna, has been summoned for interrogation on 28 September, reports the press office of Belarusian Association of Journalists.
Earlier this week, two other BelaPAN journalists Siarhei Karalevch and Aliaksei Aliaksandrau were interrogated. Last week, on 21 September, editor Andrei Serada was interrogated.
A total of 10 journalism workers are treated as suspects in the 'BELTA case.' They are suspected of having illegally accessed the paid news feed of state-run news agency BELTA. The press office of the Investigation Committee said earlier their actions had caused signidicant damage and undermined BELTA's business reputation.
Under this criminal case, agents raided the newsrooms of BelaPAN and Belarus' leading internet portal TUT.BY. Several journalists and editors were detained and spent several days behind bars. On 27 August, the majority of them were banned from traveling abroad.
