English

Journalist Zdvizhkow says that he was released as part of «political campaign»

Journalist Alyaksandr Zdvizhkow said that he was released as part of the Belarusian government's "political campaign" to free political prisoners.

"The article under which I was convicted and the proceedings particular were purely political and that is why my release also was part of a political campaign for the release of political prisoners," Mr. Zdvizhkow told BelaPAN.

Mr. Zdvizhkow was freed on February 22 after the Supreme Court shortened his sentence at a hearing earlier in the day.

The deputy editor of the now-closed newspaper Zhoda was sentenced to three years in prison last month over the reprinting of controversial Danish cartoons depicting Prophet Muhammad. He was found guilty of "inciting racial, national or religious enmity or discord."

The Supreme Court mitigated Ms. Zdvizhkow's sentence on Friday, reducing it to three months. It cited his health problems and the poor health of his elderly mother.

Mr. Zdvizhkow said that he did not feel well. "The three months in prison were quite difficult for me. I lost 30 percent of the eyesight and developed problems with hearing."

He revealed that he had hoped for the release.

The journalist said that he is set to continue work one new books.

The case against Mr. Zdvizhkow was opened in February 2006 following a complaint by Ismail Varanovich, mufti of the Spiritual Association of Muslims in Belarus. The Zhoda was closed down over the reprinting of the cartoons in the spring of 2006.

International press watchdogs expressed anger at the sentence. The Danish newspaper editor who printed the cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad that caused outrage among some Muslims across the world in 2005 and 2006 also denounced the sentence.