Court fines men who vouched for Tut.by journalists thousands of dollars

April 10, BPN. The Minsk City Court has fined each sponsor of Tut.by journalists Alena Tałkačova and Volha Łojka, who illegally fled Belarus, 18,500 rubels (some $7,300).

Political analyst Jaŭhien Prejhierman and MP Valeryj Varaniecki vowed that Tałkačova would not hide from justice officials. The chairman of the Republican Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Alaksandr Šviec, vouched for Łojka.

The fine was handed down by Judge Valancina Ziankievič.

On March 17, authorities sentenced Tut.by editor in chief Maryna Zołatava and CEO Ludmiła Čekina to 12 years in prison. Łojka, Tałkačova and legal adviser Kaciaryna Tkačenka did not show up for the hearing because they had fled Belarus.

Authorities arrested 15 Tut.by employees in May 2021. All except Čekina and Zołatava were released from custody after agreeing to cooperate with investigators, according to the Investigative Committee.

Čekina, Zołatava, Łojka and Tałkačova were accused of tax evasion, inciting hatred and calling for sanctions; Tkačenka, of tax evasion and participation in protests.

Tut.by team left Belarus in July 2021 to launch Zerkalo.io, a news website that largely follows in the footsteps of the original media outlet. Belarus and Russia have blocked access to the website. On top of that, Belarus declared it extremist content.

In June 2022, the Minsk Economic Court designated Tut By Media as an extremist organization, banning its activities in Belarus.

In October 2022, the Committee for State Security (KGB) added Zołatava, Čekina, Łojka and Tałkačova to its list of “individuals and entities involved in terrorist activities.”