Yauhen Merkis

Affiliated media: Freelance journalist

Incident date: June 21, 2021

Attack type:

• Illegal impediments to journalistic activity, denial of access to information

Who attacked: Authorities

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

Location: Belarus, Homiel

Additional information:

In the Tsentralny District Court of Homiel, the assistant to the court chairman Tatsiana Volkava prevented freelance journalist Yauhen Merkis from entering the courtroom for the open trial, where the verdict on the high-profile criminal case of the leader of the metal band Gods Tower Uladzislau Navazhylau for insulting an official was to be announced. «She stood in the doorway and even tried to push me away, saying: ’You are not the media’», - Merkis recounted. When the human rights activists present intervened in the situation, Volkava backed down.