Biaroza Independent Journalist: Let Police Fight Against Corruption, Not Against Us

Tamara Shchapiotkina has received one more protocol.

On August 18, Tamara Shchapiotkina, a freelance journalist from Biaroza, received another administrative offence report, the fifth in succession, from the Baranavichy District Police Department. It had been sent as an ordinary postal letter, Radio Racyja reports.

Local police officer, lieutenant Vital Ramaniuk drew up the protocol, on the same date and time as captain Andrei Vakhitayeu, who compiled the first protocol, but the new protocol was sent 2 days later.

The new protocol reports that Shchapiotkina "violated the law on the media, namely, she illegally produced and distributed the interview "The House-Museum Of Adam Mitskevich in Zaosse," which she posted on the Radio Racyja website without being accredited as a journalist in Belarus. It is punishable under Article 22.9, part 2.

The procedural illiteracy bowled the journalist over. Shchapiotkina says:

– The warning signed by Baranavichy police department head, lieutenant colonel Vilchkouski says that if I do not appear in court without cause on the 17th, then I will be taken to court by force. My surprise doesn’t stop here, it is striking that the protocol is drawn up by this district police department’s lieutenant, Vital Ramaniuk. I refused to sign Vital Ramaniuk’s papers: I refused to sign the rights and duties, I refused to sign the protocol, and I refused to take a copy of the protocol.

There are no witnesses or victims in the report at this time. Shchapiotkina no longer knows what to expect further from the Baranovichi Pinkertons. According to her, the police need to deal with their direct duties: to fight corruption, law violators and not journalists.