On May 11, the review of the criminal case of freelance journalist and local historian

BAJ reports.

He is accused of "creating an extremist formation or participating in it" (part 3 of article 361-1 of the Criminal Code), as well as of "facilitating extremist activities" (parts 1 and 2 of article 361-4 of the Criminal Code).

is considering the case behind closed doors

.

The meeting is held in closed session.

Yevgeny was brought to the court from Gomel pre-trial detention center-3 in handcuffs.

He has been behind bars for 240 days.

Yevhen Merkis was detained on September 13, 2022 in Gomli.

A search was conducted at the place of residence, during which electronic data carriers were confiscated.

Before the trial, Merkis was sent to pre-trial detention center No. 3.

Yevgeny Merkis covered protests after the 2020 presidential election, hosted streams from the rallies of the so-called "freebies".

He was repeatedly detained by the police, the courts fined him and sent him to the "sodni".

In total, for his journalistic activity, Merkis was sentenced to 50 days of arrest and more than 200 basic amounts of fines.

After the recognition of a number of independent mass media as "extremist formations", Yevhen engaged in local history and historical activities.

Human rights activists know that Yevgeny was put in solitary confinement for four days in pre-trial detention center-3 because he allegedly did not shave.