Brest journalist to stand trial for interviewing football player Vasilyuk

Independent journalist Ales Lyauchuk will stand trial in Brest again. He is accused of working for foreign mass media without accreditation. The hearing is appointed for June 16, the police told Lyauchuk when he was giving evidence on Tuesday. The independent journalist is accused of ‘illegal production and distribution of information.

Ales Lyauchuk has already stood trial twice for it. His report about Brest Dynama – Vitsebsk football match is the reason for the hearing now. The journalist took a brief interview from well-known football player Raman Lyauchuk on May 3. The video was shown on Belsat (Poland). The Dynama player gave evidence to the police, Lyauchuk said.

Lyauchuk: "I know that a policeman asked Lyauchuk whether he had given in interview to Belsat. The player confirmed it and said that there was nothing bad about it… But this is our country… I have interviewed one of the best Belarusian football players and this is the result… I have the constitutional right (to collect and distribute information – Euroradio) and I do not bear Roma a grudge.”

It will be the 22^nd case started for working without accreditation in Belarus this year. Freelancers have to pay fines for over Br108 million now, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports.