Andrzej Poczobut to stand trial for insulting Belarusian president

On 8 April criminal charges under two sections of the penal code – 367 (libel against the president of Belarus) and 368 (insult against the president of Belarus) were brought against activist of the unrecognised by the Belarusian authorities Union of Poles in Belarus, and Gazeta Wyborcza correspondent, Andrzej Poczobut. The charges carry maximum sentences of four years and two years in prison respectively. It was also decided that Poczobut, who had been arrested two days earlier, will remain in custody until the trial. Strong concern over Poczobut’s detention and the subsequent criminal charges was expressed on 10 April by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. The methods of repression used against the oppositionist were described by Ashton as yet another example of on-going human rights violations which have been committed by Belarusian authorities since the presidential elections held on 19 December 2010. She called on Minsk to put an end to the repressions and to cooperate with the OSCE in the area of media freedom.
2011.04.10, Interfax, PAP, www.naviny.by, www.belapan.com