Local authorities fight with internet

31.01.2008. Tags: entrepreneurs, mass media.
Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists.

An article about the arrest of an activist of the entrepreneurs’ movement was withdrawn from the site of Sviatlahorsk newspaper «Ranak-plus», Bulletin-online reports.

On January, 23rd newspaper «Ranak-plus» published an article by Aliaksandar Sivak «Convicted for Participating in Rally». The publication read about the legal process against Sviatlahorsk entrepreneur Anatol Zmitrovich who was arrested for participating in a non-sanctioned rally of entrepreneurs in Minsk on January, 10th.

The article was published on the site of the newspaper along with the photographs of people coming to the regional court to express their solidarity with A. Zmitrovich. The publication remained available on line for only two days after which it disappeared.

According to BAJ, the decision to withdraw the article from the site of «Ranak-plus» was made by the heads of regional administration. The resource Bulletin-online mentions in this relation deputy head of ideological department of the executive committee Siarhei Miarkulau.

Bulletin-online reports that one can now read the article «Convicted for Participating in Rally» at the regional portal «Svietlahorsk». The resource mentions that in 2004 as a result of the actions of regional executive committee heads a non-governmental newspaper «Region-vesti» was forced to close down and its editor Mikalai Pasiedzka had to leave the country.