Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK1048
2007-12-21 17:02:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER LOSES LIBEL SUIT; DAMAGES
how-toVZCZCXRO8137 PP RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #1048 3551702 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 211702Z DEC 07 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6753 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1775 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 001048
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER LOSES LIBEL SUIT; DAMAGES
REDUCED
REF: MINSK 997
Classified By: Ambassador Karen B. Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 001048
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER LOSES LIBEL SUIT; DAMAGES
REDUCED
REF: MINSK 997
Classified By: Ambassador Karen B. Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (SBU) On December 20, a Minsk court ordered independent
newspaper "Novy Chas" and journalist Aleksandr Tamkovich to
pay USD 22,223 and USD 465, respectively, to top Belarusian
MP Nikolay Cherginets for libel (reftel). Despite defense
arguments during the proceedings, which were observed by
Poloffs, that Tamkovich's article was mainly an analysis of
information posted on Cherginets' own website, Judge Alena
Ananich ruled that Tamkovich and the paper had defamed the
GOB lawmaker by linking him to a controversial Soviet-era
criminal prosecution. Nevertheless, "Novy Chas" Editor
Aleksey Korol described the award, which amounted to
one-tenth of the damages originally sought by Cherginets, as
a "small victory" for his paper and pledged to Poloff that he
would continue publishing articles critical of the Lukashenko
regime. Korol also noted his sincerest thanks to the Embassy
for its continuous moral support.
Comment
--------------
2. (C) With a weekly ciculation of 3,000, the importance of
"Novy Chas," one of the few legally registered independent
print outlets for pro-democracy forces, was demonstrated by
the courtroom presence of several high-level
independent-media, civil-society and opposition leaders --
including United Civic Party Chair Anatoliy Lebedko,
Belarusian Popular Front First Deputy Chair Vintsuk
Vyachorka, and Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada"
Deputy Chair Igor Rynkevich. Despite Korol's "small
victory," this case could be merely a shot across the bow in
the regime's campaign of repression against independent media
organizations in the run up to Belarus' 2008 parliamentary
elections.
STEWART
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/21/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER LOSES LIBEL SUIT; DAMAGES
REDUCED
REF: MINSK 997
Classified By: Ambassador Karen B. Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (SBU) On December 20, a Minsk court ordered independent
newspaper "Novy Chas" and journalist Aleksandr Tamkovich to
pay USD 22,223 and USD 465, respectively, to top Belarusian
MP Nikolay Cherginets for libel (reftel). Despite defense
arguments during the proceedings, which were observed by
Poloffs, that Tamkovich's article was mainly an analysis of
information posted on Cherginets' own website, Judge Alena
Ananich ruled that Tamkovich and the paper had defamed the
GOB lawmaker by linking him to a controversial Soviet-era
criminal prosecution. Nevertheless, "Novy Chas" Editor
Aleksey Korol described the award, which amounted to
one-tenth of the damages originally sought by Cherginets, as
a "small victory" for his paper and pledged to Poloff that he
would continue publishing articles critical of the Lukashenko
regime. Korol also noted his sincerest thanks to the Embassy
for its continuous moral support.
Comment
--------------
2. (C) With a weekly ciculation of 3,000, the importance of
"Novy Chas," one of the few legally registered independent
print outlets for pro-democracy forces, was demonstrated by
the courtroom presence of several high-level
independent-media, civil-society and opposition leaders --
including United Civic Party Chair Anatoliy Lebedko,
Belarusian Popular Front First Deputy Chair Vintsuk
Vyachorka, and Belarusian Social Democratic Party "Gramada"
Deputy Chair Igor Rynkevich. Despite Korol's "small
victory," this case could be merely a shot across the bow in
the regime's campaign of repression against independent media
organizations in the run up to Belarus' 2008 parliamentary
elections.
STEWART