BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

Date: Wednesday, April 20 @ 06:31:26 EDT

Wan Urges Belarusian Authorities To Help Fight Impunity

Topic: Europe

The World Association of Newspapers (WAN) has expressed concern over the investigation by Belarusian prosecutors over the murder of journalist Veronika Cherkasova, who was working for the newspaper Solidarnost when she was stabbed to death last October and her body was found in her apartment. At that time, she was investigating the alleged sale of arms by Belarus to Iraq.

Though an independent investigation reveals the cause of death to be professional assassination, the authorities identified her 15-year-old son and chronically ill stepfather as the main suspects in the case and subjected them to months of harassment. However the Prosecutor General's office, senior legal counsellor I.K. Zuy said no evidence had been found thus far linking the murder to Ms Cherkasova's professional activities, and he denied that the family members were subjected to "inappropriate or proscribed investigating methods."

In an effort to ensure that the murders of journalists worldwide are thoroughly investigated and killers are brought to justice, WAN would continue to monitor the case.

Source:

http://journalists.net/modules.php?name=AvantGo&file=print&sid=284


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