Yegor Martinovich, editor-in-chief of the opposition newspaper Nasha Niva, is suspected of causing property damage without signs of theft.
“Today, the investigator called us and said what Yegor Martinovich is suspected of: Part 2 of Article 216 of the Criminal Code – causing property damage without signs of misappropriation (envisions a penalty in the form of a custodial term at an open prison or at a penal colony for up to five years.) We still do not know to whom he caused damage,” Martinovich’s wife and journalist Adarya Gushtyn said on Facebook.
As reported, Martinovich was again arrested on July 18. “On July 18, Martinovich’s ten-day custodial term ended. He was arrested under Article 342 (organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate public order or active participation in them). He has not faced any charges for ten days. Today, he wasn’t released, but arrested for a second time under a new article of the Criminal Code,” Gushtyn said.
Martinovich, head of the advertising department Andrei Skurko, chief accountant Olga Rakovich, and chief editor of the children’s and popular science magazines published by Nasha Niva Andrei Dynko were detained on July 8. Following questioning, they were sent to a detention facility. On July 16, Rakovich was released.
Searches were earlier conducted in non-governmental organizations and media outlets throughout Belarus. The Investigative Committee explained this by their involvement in shadow cash flows and tax evasion.
