The reason for the appeal was a publication of extracts of "Niabyshyna. War" book by Illya Kopyl, who suggests an alternative point of view at some of the events of the World War II and its participants.

The claimant Aliaksandr Pestrakou believed the publication offended war veterans, members of underground organizations and partisans.

He demanded the newspaper to publish apologies.

Besides, Mr. Pestrakou requested the court to oblige Narodnaya Volia to amend its heading with a sign of being non-state and "oppositional". But all the claims were rejected by the court.

Satisfied with results
Andrei Bastunets, a Vice-Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, was a public representative of the newspaper during the hearings, and he is satisfied with the result.

"It is difficult to imagine the court could consider such demands of the claimant in essence," Andrei Bastunets told BAJ Press Service.

This is the second court hearings Narodnaya Volia wins within a week.

Several days ago Minsk City Court left in force another decision of Leninski District Court that rejected an appeal of Siarhei Khanenia, a pro-rector of Homiel State University, who had registered a defamation claim against the independent newspaper and had requested a 95.5 million rubles (about 25,000 Euro) fine to cover his alleged moral damage.

Linked to Nazism
The lawsuit against Narodnaya Volia was preceded by a range of street actions against some publications of the newspaper. Traditionally, attempts are made to gag independent journalists who try to cover the crimes of Soviet Army during World War II in Belarus.

It is not officially accepted in Belarus that Soviet Army could also be responsible for murders of civilians.

Any presentation of facts showing Soviet troops being not only 'liberators' but also perpetrators is by default labelled with 'Nazism' and an insult to the war veterans.

Journalists of the daily are almost sure this campaign against the press freedom was insired by the government.

“There hasn’t been any political campaign in Belarus without attacks on independent media. The state authorities would like to use other people to meet the goal, preparing the public opinion for the idea of possible closure of newspapers and websites”, the chief editor S. Kalinkina said.

“The accident is really alarming, as fellow-citizens are set at loggerheads and no good will come out of it”, the journalist added.

Based on the BAJ Press-service.