Trial of journalists in Minsk: 10 days of arrest for Halko; 12 days for Yarashevich

The trial took place in the Maskouski district court of Minsk.

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One and the same lawyer Alyaksandr Halieu defends both journalists. However the judges are different. Judge Yauhen Khatkevich presides the trial against Zmitser Halko while Tatsyana Motyl judges Alyaksandr Yarashevich. As Halko's trial started first, judge Motyl agreed to wait till it's over. According to Radio Liberty, Halko has informed during the trial that they were detained with no explanations not far from the Mikhalova metro station. The policemen did not make a necessary charge, just recorded his personal belongings. Meanwhile, policeman Dzmitry Novik says that there was a charge but Halko refused to sign it. Lawyer Halieu turned attention to the fact that the detention reports, written by policemen Zharski and Haroshka, repeat each other by a single word. Novik could not explain why this could happen. Besides, the policemen refused to pass Halko food and water in court. He says he hadn't eaten since yesterday.

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According to the press-center of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the trial will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, at the address Newspaper Pravda Avenue, 27.

The journalists were returning from the Akrestsina Street detention center after they had met the released "Chernobyl Way" participants. When they were approaching the metro station, a police bus stopped by and the special policemen dragged Halko and Yarashevich into it.

Alyaksandr Yarashevich had been detained before - right after the "Chernobyl Way" action on April 26. The journalist spent 3 days in the detention center then. 

Photo - bymedia.net