Public prosecutor officers explained that Ihar Bantsar was issued a warning because Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie and Głos znad Niemna na uchodzstwie were distributed illegally. The periodicals did not have the officially required out-print data.
Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie and Głos znad Niemna na uchodzstwie are periodical magazines in Polish published by and for the Polish Union in Belarus, an organisation of Polish minority which is not recognised by the authorities.
According to HRC Viasna, Bantsar thinks that the authorities are trying to find any pretext possible to put pressure on these publications. “For 5 years Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie has been published in such a way, and only now the editor-in-chief is officially warned for alleged violation of the Media Law. I view this situation as definitely connected to the content of the May issue,” Mr Bantsar said.
The May issue had on its cover a collage of Aliaksandr Lukashenka and his youngest born out of wedlock son where they were depicted as the Russian tsar Alexander III and his heir. Also it included a critical article about the private life of Mr Lukashenka.
If Ihar Bantsar receives a second warning in the near future he will be a subject to an administrative punishment, which could include a fine or even arrest.
This is not the first time when law enforcement agencies interfere with Polish publications. Andrzej Poczobut (Andrei Pachobut), a journalist of Polish Gazeta Wyborcza, received threats from KGB earlier this year.
