TOL Belarus

General’s Expensive Dignity

December 11th, 2007 by Intervenous

On December 5th, 2007, the district court of the City of Minsk held a preliminary hearing on the law suit filed by Mr. Charhinets against the publishing enterprise “News Time” and journalist Mr. Tamkovich. Mr. Charhinets alleges that an article by Mr. Tamkovich, entitled “General - Senator Mikalay Charhinets” and printed by newspaper Novy Chas, defamed his honor, dignity and business reputation. He is asking for a 500,000,000 rubles moral damages from the enterprise and another 100,000,000 rubles from the author (totaling $280,000). Such amount of damages in an anti-defamatory suit is unprecedented in Belarusian legal practice.

According to the journalist and the paper, the article was based on facts, and all critical remarks were stated in a professional manner in reference to activities, rather than character, of the plaintiff. The article was not directed at damaging the plaintiff’s honor or dignity. Moreover, representatives of “News Time” offered Mr. Charhinets a print space of equal size for a public rebuttal. Unfortunately, the plaintiff declined the offer.

In the court, the “News Time” was represented by Aliaksei Karol, editor in chief of Novy Chas, and Anzhela Ratner, an attorney of a Minsk law advising service. Mr. Charhinets, who was absent from the meeting, was represented by his lawyer. Also absent, due to an illness, was Mr. Tamkovich. The meeting was chaired by Judge Elena Ananich. The first public court hearing is scheduled for December 19, 2007.

The future of the newspaper is of no interest to the plaintiff. In his comments to the media, Mr. Charhinets said: “I am protecting my honor, so that others are deterred from defaming me.” And warned that “those papers who will interpret it as to defame me again, will also receive lawsuits. I decided to not stop, I will enrich our healthcare system.”

Belarusian and international public are carefully following the suit against Novy Chas. On December 5th, Christina Gallach, the spokesperson of the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, stated to Belapan that this suit was evidently politically motivated and intended to close down the newspaper.

Public awareness and your solidarity are extremely important to the staff of Novy Chas and Alexander Tamkovich as well as for the future of all independent media in Belarus, caught in the fight for the freedom of speech.

You can support the newspaper by leaving your comments on Novy Chas’ blog or by informing media representatives in your country about the lawsuit against one of the few remaining independent papers in Belarus. Thank you for your support.

P.S. All the details of this case, including the text of the article, lawsuit, EU comments and other commentary can be found on Novy Chas’ blog.

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