Belarus court adjourns Polish journalist defamation case
PR dla Zagranicy
John Beauchamp
28.06.2011 11:18
The ongoing court case of Andrzej Poczobut, an ethnic Polish journalist and activist detained on defamation charges against President Alexander Lukashenko, has been adjourned until 5 July.
Andrzej Poczobut. Photo: PAP
The case was expected to finish today, although Poczobut’s lawyers were the only ones to give statements at the court in Grodno.
Andrzej Poczobut is accused on two counts – of defamation as well as libel of the head of state, with a number of articles published by Poland’s largest daily, Gazeta Wyborcza, being used as evidence against the journalist.
Meanwhile, around 70 people, including members of the Union of Poles in Belarus, unrecognised by the authorities in Minsk, came to protest outside the court buildings in Grodno, close to Poland’s border.
The case continues behind closed doors, with the court rejecting pleas by the defendant to call further witnesses to the stand to testify on behalf of Poczobut.
Both the European Union and OSCE have condemned the trial, with human rights organisation Amnesty International calling Poczobut a prisoner of conscience because of the trial. (jb)
Source: IAR/PAP