Journalists fined for teddy bears (Photo, video)

• 9.08.2012, 13:34

(being updated) Iryna Kozlik and Yulia Darashkevich were fined 30 basic unites.

Iryna Kozlik and Yulia Darashkevich received a fine of 30 basic units.

Judge Dzmitry Paulyuchenka found the journalists guilty of “holding an unsanctioned picket”, as he called taking photos with a teddy bear, and fined each journalist 3 million Belarusian rubles.

Iryna Kozlik and Yulia Darashkevich were tried behind closed doors, Salidarnast reports.

Police officers told the journalist the website charter97.org wrote about her detention. “Yesterday, on our way to the detention centre, an escort officer said in a low voice: 'Charter website already wrote the news.' It lifted my mood at once,” she said.