News on the topic: mass media
18.02.2010 Vitsebsk: Barys Khamaida detained again
On 18 February in Vitsebsk, Barys Khamaida, activist of the Conservative-Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front, was detained for two hours for distribution of the party magazine Belaruskiya Vedamastsi. The official reason for the detention was that the policemen needed to check-up the literary editions and periodicals that were distributed by Mr. Khamaida.
17.02.2010 State media during election campaign: expert opinion
Assessing the role of mass media in covering the election campaigns, Lidziya Yarmoshyna, Chairperson of the Central Election Commission, stated that ‘state mass media have the right to criticize opposition candidates during elections’, but ‘forgot’ to add that pro-governmental candidates also can be subject to similar critique with the aim of creating equal conditions for all candidates.
17.02.2010 Working place of journalist Maryna Koktysh searched by police
At about 12.30 a.m. on 17 February the Belarusian Association of Journalists learned about the search in the editorial office of the Narodnaya Volia newspaper, at the working place of deputy editor Maryna Koktysh.
15.02.2010 ’Vitebskiy Kurier’ still has problems with distribution
On 4 February in Vitsebsk, the police detained the newspaper distributeor Maryia Stsepaniuk and guarded her to the Chyhunachny district police department (DPD). Police Major Aleh Alt charged her with violating Article 22.9, part 2 of the Administrative Code, ‘distribution of periodical without registration in the Republic of Belarus’. Siarhei Blazhevich, DPD head, passed the case materials to court. All copies of the newspaper were confiscated from the detainee.
05.02.2010 “Narodnaya Volya“ fined for advertising BelSat TV
The independent Belarusian newspaper will have to pay a fine of 700,000 rubles. On February 4, the Leninski district court of Minsk found the paper guilty of violating the Law on Advertising and fined it.
04.02.2010 European Union condemns decree on Internet censorship in Belarus
The European Union thinks the decree puts more restrictions on freedom of speech in Belarus. Lutz Guellner, a spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, commented on the decree regulating activity of websites in Belarus, Radio Svaboda reports.
01.02.2010 New legislation on tightening control over Internet
The Belarusian telecommunication operators have been obliged to keep information on services rendered to their clients for five years.
15.01.2010 Lukashenka creates special secret service for Internet
The Operating and Analytical centre under the president is given the right to control online correspondence of Belarusians and monitor which websites they browse.
12.01.2010 Authorities disrupt round table on unlawful Internet restrictions
The Belarusian Language Society (BLS) named after Francysk Skaryna received a warning of the Ministry of Justice saying that discussion of draft decrees of Lukashenka contradicts to the organization’s charter.
11.01.2010 ’Reporters Without Borders’ is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet
Reporters Without Borders is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet in a country where free expression is already restricted. President Alexander Lukashenko acknowledged on 30 December that his government is putting the final touches to a bill to this effect. The draft decree was leaked to the media on December 14, 2009. The discussions around it remain secret.
06.01.2010 ’Mahiliouski Chas’ denied registration third time
The Ministry of Information for the third time refused to register the private newspaper Mahiliouski Chas. This time the officials stated that the building where the legal address of the edition was placed didn’t meet the legal requirements.
28.12.2009 Persecution of “Borisovskiye novosti” goes on
While the editorial office is fighting for return of the licence for retail trade, regional authorities are creating bureaucratic hurdles for enterprises that want to sell the independent newspaper. As the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists was told by the editor-in-chief of “Borisovskiye novosti” Anatol Bukas, he concluded a realization agreement with a large new supermarket “Almi”.
23.12.2009 OSCE PA concerned over media freedom in Belarus, Swedish MP says
The Working Group on Belarus at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is concerned over the situation regarding freedom of the media and organizations, as well as a lack of opportunities for political parties to get fully involved in the country's political life, Swedish MP Cecilia Wigstrom told reporters in Minsk on December 22. Ms. Wigstrom, a member of the working group, is leading a delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly that arrived in Belarus on a three-day visit on Sunday.
21.12.2009 Ministry of Information upholds warning to Narodnaya Volia
The Ministry of Information named the warning issued to the Narodnaya Volia independent newspaper on 17 November groundless. The official letter signed by Minister of Information Aleh Praliaskouski states that the newspaper disseminated prohibited information, since ‘the article published by the newspaper contained extremist appeals.’
15.12.2009 Minsk offices of ‘Narodnaya Volia’ and ‘Reuters’ were ‘mined’
Police evacuated people from the building where offices Reuters news agency and Narodnaya Volia newspaper are situated, broke into and searched journalists’ offices.
