Affiliated media: TUT.BY, Online publication

Incident date: May 18, 2021

Attack type:

• Arrest of bank account/ property

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Minsk

Additional information:

The Department of Financial Investigations brought a criminal case against staff at the TUT.by portal on charges of large-scale tax evasion (Part 2 of Article 243 of the Criminal Code). The website allegedly took advantage of the benefits of the Hi-Tech Park (a legal/tax regime in Belarus, contributing to the favourable development of IT business). On the same day, the Hi-Tech Park Supervisory Board decided to deprive TUT.by of their tax benefit rights and froze their bank account. Police came to search the editorial office, as well as the homes of the publication’s management and journalists. The former search lasted until late in the evening. Documents, computer equipment, employee phones, and servers were confiscated.