Journalist Alyaksandr Barazenka to stand trial again today

Photo: svaboda.org
Photo: svaboda.org

Belsat cameraman Alyaksandr Barazenka will stand another trial on October 10, the BAJ press service reports. The journalist is accused of copyright violation for using the trademark “Belsat”.

Barazenka was detained in March. The economic crimes investigation department started a case against him then. The cameraman was interrogated in Akrestsina Street prison where he was serving a 15-day arrest. Self-made stickers with the inscription “Belsat” were attached to his cameras, Barazenka said. The video equipment was confiscated for the investigation time.

Minsk offices of the TV channel were searched when Barazenka was in jail. The police confiscated equipment from two offices and from journalist Alyaksandr Lyubenchyk.

The hearing of this case was organized in August. A number of witnesses proved that Barazenka’s statement about having no Belsat stickers on his equipment were true. Judge Dzmitry Tsykal noticed a lot of violations in the police report and sent the case back to the police for rework. If the journalist is returned guilty, he will be fined for 460-1150 roubles. All the equipment taken away from Barazenka and the TV channel’s offices will be confiscated.