Valer Bulhakau: I did not return to Belarus due to imprisonment threat
The former editor-in-chief of ARCHE magazine decides to stay away from Belarus over fears of criminal prosecution.
"They may imprison me for an indefinite term, – Radio Liberty quotes Valery Bulhakau. – If you sum up all the three articles used to accuse "Arche" now, you will get about 7 years. Of course, not all the articles may be confirmed in court. But the situation is difficult. It would be folly to ignore everything that is going on."
Tax-inspectors bought printed editions that did not have the documents required for them at the presentation of "Arche" in Hrodna on October 14. Valery Bulhakau was fined for 500 thousand roubles for "illegal business". 200 magazines, books and the profit of 975 thousand roubles were confiscated. The Department for Financial Investigation blocked the account of "Arche". The police also confiscated over 5 thousand books and copies of "Arche" in Lahoisk in October. They were sent to one more expertise and the threat of a criminal case became real.
Valery Bulhakau told Euroradio at the beginning of November:
"The Belarusian special services want to control the market of printed publications and the alternative projects launched by Belarusian intellectuals. The times are changing - Belarusian intellectuals' books and magazines did not interest the state much 10 or 15 years ago, there was just a neutral feeling of disgust. But the situation has changed dramatically now."
Photo by — gs.by, budzma.org
