The case of Andrei Pachobut is closed

The inquiry into the case against the journalist is finished. The Investigative Committee in Hrodna region t found no objective proofs to the alleged crime.

According to the investigative officer of the Committee Siarhei Sharshanevich, the results of the linguistic examination of Pachobut's articles differ, and the preliminary investigation gave no objective proofs which would testify to the alleged fact of libel, BAJ reports. Thus the criminal case against Andrei Pachobut was closed on March 15. All conditions of recognizance also terminated.

Let us recall that Andrei Pachobut, journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza, was accused of committing a repeated crime punishable by article 367 of the Criminal Code. The investigation supposed that the journalist again defamed the president of Belarus in several online publications. Pachobut was detained on June 21, 2012 in his flat in Hrodna. After searches he was placed in an isolator. On June 30 the journalist was released on his own recognizance, since then he was obliged to stay in the city and behave well. The investigation was prolonged two times, and several linguistic examinations were made.

In summer 2011 Andrei Pachobut was convicted of libel against the president. Then the Lenin district court of Hrodna sentenced him to three years' imprisonment with two years' deferral of serving the sentence. The second case against the journalist would have finished up with five years of jail. Pachobut did not admit his guilt and refused to give testimony to the investigation.

Human rights organizations, BAJ and the EU condemned the Belarusan authorities for the criminal case.