Zmitser Lupach

Affiliated media: Belsat, Freelance journalist

Incident date: May 25, 2021

Attack type:

• Criminal/administrative prosecution excluding (1), (2) and (3)

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Hlybokaye

Additional information:

Two trials were held in one day against freelance journalist Zmitser Lupach. In the first half of the day, the Hlybokaye District Court fined the journalist 30 basic amounts, having found him guilty of cooperation with a foreign media outlet without accreditation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Part 3 of Article 23.5 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus). The judge considered the case in 14 minutes. The reason for the fine was the story of Belsat about the «education» of the Belarusian police. In the afternoon, the Braslaw District Court fined Lupach 30 basic amounts, having also found him guilty of violating Part 3 of Article 23.5 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus. In this case, the reason was a story about a psychiatric hospital in the village of Slabodka.