Supreme Court refuses Ihar Lohvinau (updated)
The publisher tried to appeal his publishing ban.
The relations between publisher Ihar Lohvinau and the Ministry of Information spoilt at the end of September when Lohvinau was deprived of his publishing licence. Deputy Minister Liliya Ananich informed him that the licence had been annulled due to violations connected with the publishing of the album Press Photo Belarus 2011. Ashmyany District Court announced the edition extremist in April.
Ihar Lohvinau disagrees with the Ministry of Information. The publisher pointed at violations committed by officials and at the absurdity of the accusations.
Representatives of the Ministry of Information flatly refused to comment on the Supreme Court’s decision for Euroradio.
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Lohvinau: The refusal was harsh and cynical
Ihar Lohvinau has commented on the court’s decision for Euroradio:
“I am not surprised. However, the position of the Ministry of Information is strange. Extremism cases keep appearing now and then. They are usually limited to warnings. However, they decided to treat us in a harsh and cynical way. It shows the attitude of the Ministry of Information to its publishers and the national literature in general.”
