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Relatives Doubt Belarusian Journalist's Death Was Suicide


Yury Humyanyuk in 2008
Yury Humyanyuk in 2008
HRODNA, Belarus -- Relatives of a Belarusian journalist who died in the western city of Hrodna say they do not believe his death was a suicide.

Yury Humenyuk, 43, fell from the ninth floor of a dormitory on January 19, not far from the house he shared with his mother.

He was a correspondent for Polish Radio in Warsaw and was known for his criticism of the Belarusian authorities.

Humenyuk's mother told RFE/RL that she considered it very strange that her son went to the nearby dormitory, because he had no friends or acquaintances there.

A dormitory employee told RFE/RL that none of the building's residents received a visit from Humenyuk.

Local authorities have launched an investigation.

Humenyuk was also a noted poet who called for poetry to be independent of Belarusian state control.
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