Journalist faces imprisonment for insulting President
Such a criminal case has been started against Andrzej Pachobut, journalist of Polish “Gazeta Wyborcza”.
He was summoned to Hrodna Province Office of the Public Prosecutor on March 28 and accused according to article 368, p.1 “Insulting the President of the Republic of Belarus”. The accusation is based on the results of the investigation conducted by Hrodna Province Department of the Interior. The journalist’s articles were the reason for the investigation.
Pachobut has told Euroradio on air that he is going to assert his journalist rights and that he has already found a lawyer who has agreed to appear for his defense. However, Mr. Andrzej says that the lawyer is skeptical about the prospects of defense in this case.
The journalist may be imprisoned for two years if he is returned guilty.
