[hr-media] Belarusian journalist murdered

Press release IHF

Vienna/Minsk, 22 October 2004.  The International Helsinki Federation for
Human Rights (IHF) and the Belarusian Helsinki Committee express their
grave concern over the death of Veronika Cherkasova and call upon the
Belarusian authorities to carry out a thorough and transparent
investigation into the killing. Ms. Cherkasova was a well-known journalist
who had written for several independent newspapers on issues that raised
wide public resonance. Most recently, she published a series of articles
under the title "KGB is Still Watching You." She had also been gathering
information on religious "sects."

On 20 October, Veronika Cherkasova's body with multiple stab wounds was
discovered in her home. Nothing was stolen in her apartment but it
appeared that somebody had gone through her notebooks. Law enforcement
agencies cited domestic violence as the cause of her death.

For more information:
Tatyana Protsko, president of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, tel.
+375-17-222 4800
Aaron Rhodes, IHF executive director, tel. +43-1-408 88 22 or +43-676-635
66 12 (mobile)