Three more tut.by employees released before trial

March 18, BPN. On 17 March, three more former tut.by employees have been released on their own recognizance — Volha Lojka, editor-in-chief for political and economic news; Aliaksandr Dajneka, assistant general director for technical issues; and Andrej Aŭdzejeŭ, Publisher Box manager.

Maryja Novik, a former deputy chief accountant at Tut.by Media, Iryna Rybalka, assistant director general for corporate affairs, and Anžela Asad, chief accountant, were released on March 11.

According to Zerkalo.io (ex-tut.by), the charges against the six journalists have not been dropped. They have been behind bars for almost 10 months.

Former TUT.BY CEO Liudmila Čekina, former editor-in-chief Maryna Zolatava, journalist Alena Taŭkačova, chief engineer Ala Lapatka, and TAM.BY project manager Darja Danilava remain in custody.

On September 1, 2021, Siarhej Pavališaŭ, director general of Hoster.by provider, a project of the deceased tut.by founder Juryj Zisser, was released on his own recognizance. On January 13, 2022, Julija Čarniaŭskaja, Ziser’s widow, was freed from house arrest. Both remain under investigation. 

In the morning of May 18, 2021, law enforcement officers raided apartments of company employees and tut.by offices in Minsk and regional centers, arresting 15 journalists.

According to the State Control Committee, they were charged with large-scale tax evasion. Tut.by management was accused of allegedly generating revenue from activities not permitted for Hi-Tech Park residents.

The Belarusian Association of Journalists said that 27 Belarusian media workers remain behind bars.