Two years ago famous Belarusian journalist Veranika Charkasava was atrociously killed at her own apartment. The circumstances of an offence are still unknown. The killer is not searched out. The authorities insist on the domestic crime version. In a view of the subjects Veranika worked on and the Belarusian authorities’ attitude towards independent journalists’ professional activity, we may assume this crime will not be solved at the time of current regime existing.  (20-OCT-06)

Illustrated by www.baj.ru

The last years Veranika has been working for the “Salidarnast” independent newspaper. She wrote about the civil life events, and conducted journalistic investigations concerning criminal and policy topics. Veranika bravely suggested her thoughts; she could find all the necessary information and did not afraid to criticize. Colleagues and readers appreciated her for that. 

Versions of the killing
Veranika’s cruel murder shocked the Belarusian society. Prosecuting agency officers worked out some versions of the killing: beginning with cultic till domestic murder. The main suspects were Veranika’s son and her step-father. They were cleared of the crime only in spring 2005 because of “absence of crime in their act”. Since that very time there were no more suspects on this criminal case.
 The prosecutor´s office did not pay any attention on the journalistic investigations results printed in the independent press. The investigation was led by Veranika’s colleague Syarhey Satsuk during some months after the murder. The results gave the basis to think that the crime was done by the professional killer who has stages domestic murder. The journalist adduced weighty arguments to the order of Veranika’s killing because of her professional activity.

How is the killer?
The last official information about the murder was given by the head of the department of investigation of grave crimes. ”The investigation of the murder of Veranika Charkasava has been suspended because the people who committed the crime have not been found, – informed Syarhey Ivanou: “I think the case is not hopeless, the investigation could be finished”.
The head of the Journalist Investigation Agency Syarhey Satsuk expressed his own point of view on the matter-“About 99% of all domestic murders are out. They are not planned and leave many traces. The police have been searching for the criminal who killed Veranika Charkasava for two years”
May be the killer, wounded Veranika with a knife 40 times, and has not left any marks so he could be identified by investigators.

“Journalists became victims…”
Belarusian Human rights defenders consider that “the security concerns of journalists work still come at an opportune time in Belarus. The case when journalists became victims on the part of state bodies representatives’ violence and arbitrary behaviour. Tens of journalists suffered in duty status all around Belarus during spring events in Minsk. Journalistic license did not defend them from being beaten by plain-clothes men. We also need to mention the existing of the cases of journalists’ criminal proceedings for the slander and insult on President and officials. Journalists bounded to work in conditions of rough censorship and persecution on the part of authorities”.