Watchdog

MINSK -- The editors of the Belarusian weekly newspaper "Nasha niva" have been officially warned about an article the newspaper published on the Minsk subway terrorist attack, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports.

In the article, "Colonel Baradach: A Special Services Agent Placed The Explosives," a former Belarusian military officer shared his thoughts regarding the April 11 subway bomb attack that killed 13 people and injured more than 150 others.

The ex-officer said the explosion might have been organized by groups within Belarus's political elite who were interested in destabilizing the situation in the country.

Deputy Prosecutor-General Mikalay Kuklis has officially warned "Nasha niva" editors about the article and demanded a written explanation on why it was published.

Andrey Skurko, chief editor of "Nasha niva," told RFE/RL the article was printed under the rubric "Comments and Thoughts." He said all such articles reflected the opinions of individuals in Belarusian society who have a right to express and share their views on social, political, and economic issues.

Skurko said the newspaper's editors did not think they did anything illegal.

The KGB summoned Skurko for questioning on April 19 and warned him he could be held responsible for "revealing classified information related to the investigation into the Minsk subway bombing."

It was the newspaper's second warning for its reporting on the subway bombing.

The Information Ministry warned "Nasha niva" last week about the "possible consequences" of its coverage of the bomb blast.

The newspaper wrote on April 12 that when President Alyaksandr Lukashenka was laying flowers to commemorate the victims of the explosion, one victim, a young woman, was still lying under the debris and remained there until late that night.

But the ministry said on April 15 that the "Nasha niva" report was "erroneous" because all the dead and injured passengers were promptly taken to morgues and hospitals.

The ministry did not say what the "possible consequences" for the newspaper might be.

Read more in Belarusian here

KYIV -- The chief editor of the "Kyiv Post" whose sacking last week prompted a strike by staff is to return to the English-language weekly under an agreement reached with its owner, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service reports.

Brian Bonner was sacked on April 15 over an interview with Ukrainian Agriculture Minister Mykola Prysyazhnyuk that Bonner refused to spike after a request by the "Kyiv Post" owner, British national Mohammad Zahoor.

Staff members went on strike to demand Bonner's reinstatement, saying his sacking interfered in the newspaper's independence.

In a statement on the "Kyiv Post" website on April 20, staff members and Zahoor say the two sides have reached an amicable, "tentative" agreement to resolve the situation.

Under the agreement, Bonner will be a member of a four-person editorial board with Roman Olearchyk, Katya Horchynska -- currently deputy editors -- and James Marson, the paper's business editor.

Zahoor told journalists today that the whole story was "just a misunderstanding and everything is okay now."

The journalists also announced on their Facebook page that they will make public Zahoor's telephone conversation today with the "Kyiv Post" journalists.

Zahoor, a Briton of Pakistani descent, bought the newspaper for $1.1 million in 2009. Zahoor has business ties to eastern Ukraine's Donetsk mining region.

The "Kyiv Post" was the first English-language newspaper in Ukraine. It was established in 1995 by American Jed Sunden.

Read more in Ukrainian here