Statement of Belarusian Pen-Center

29.01.2004.

We have found out from mass media about the facts of hindrance to edition and distribution of “Belorrusskaya Delovaya Gazeta” by state bodies and the efforts of the services, subordinate to state bodies, to liquidate the juridical address of the Republican public association “Frantsysk Skaryna Belarusian Language Society” and the newspapers “Nasha Slova” and “Novy Chas”, issued with its participation.

Being guided by the constitutionally stated inadmissibility of domination of one ideology, the guaranteed right of citizens to receive complete, varied and true information and the right to receive information in Belarusian language;

Taking into consideration the fact that the members of the Republican PA “Belarusian Pen-center, in accordance with its statute aims cooperate with the abovementioned editions and the RPA “Frantsysk Skaryna Belarusian Language Society”;

Steadily defending the principles of the liberty of word in the Republic of Belarus;

We consider these actions as an attempt to violated the constitutional rights of our citizens to timely receipt of complete, true, varied information and the full-scale public usage of Belarusian language, express our protest against the means to complicate the activity of the abovementioned newspapers and the public association, urge the competent power structures to stop such actions as dishonorable for our state.

Adopted at the sitting of the Board of the RPA “Belarusian Pen-center” of 27 January 2004

Information Department of HRC “Viasna”