Lithuanian diplomat denied access to journalist's, medic's trial in Belarus

VILNIUS – A Belarusian court on Friday prevented diplomats from Lithuania and several other countries from watching a judicial process where a journalist and a doctor are standing trial for the disclosure of the circumstances surrounding the death of a police-arrested protester.

Acting chargé d'affaires Asta Andrijauskiene told BNS that, besides her, diplomats from France, the US, Germany and the EU also came to watch the trial.

"The sitting was held behind closed-doors and we had to leave," the diplomat said.

Independent media in Belarus reported that its reporters were also not allowed to watch the trial process.

The defendants in this case are journalist Katsiaryna Barysevich from the independent news website tut.by and doctor Artsiom Sarokin. They are charged for disclosing medical information about Raman Bandarenka.