News on the topic: freedom of expression
29.06.2009 Ivan Kruk is fined for giving several newspapers to neighbor
On 26 June Astravets district court ruled that the local democratic activist Ivan Kruk was to be fined 700 000 rubles for ‘distribution of periodicals without imprint’.
10.06.2009 Non-state editions are trying return to the state distribution net
A number of regional non-state newspapers again addressed BelPoshta (Belarusian Post, the state monopolist on distribution of press by subscription) and Belsayuzdruk (the state monopolist on retail of press from newsstands). They hope to get positive answers because of the recent sitting of the civil coordinative council of mass media.
10.06.2009 DDOs attack on website of Charter’97 lasts for third day already
Two days ago the DDoS attack on the website of the civil initiative has begun. According to their information, the attack is conducted from more than 5000 zombie computers. As a result of the attack the website was blocked for more than a day.
14.04.2009 ‘Bobruysky Kurier’ won’t be sold at postal offices
Babruisk city department of Belposhta (Belarusian Post) postal service enterprise broke the agreement with the non-state newspaper Bobruysky Kurier newspaper, as a result of which it won’t be sold at the local post offices any more.
07.04.2009 Babruisk: prosecutor’s office refuses to bring a criminal case concerning repressions against ‘Bobruiskiy Kurier’
The prosecutor considered the complaint of Anatol Sanatsenka (chief editor of the non-state newspaper Bobruisky Kurier) and found no corpus delicti in the actions of officers of Babruisk town executive committee.
09.03.2009 Assembly of pro-democratic NGOs calls the authorities to stop the abuse of the law On counteraction to extremism
On 6-7 March the 6th assembly of pro-democratic NGOs of Belarus was held at the international educational center (IBB) in Minsk. The aim of the forum was to analyze the situation in the third sector, the juridical situation of NGOs and elaborate and adopt the strategy of the Assembly’s activities for the near future.
26.02.2009 Arrested for public opinion poll
Activists of Belarusian opposition were detained by policemen when they were holding a poll among passers-by.
10.02.2009 Uladzimir Labkovich: ‘Political parties have no access to the state mass media’
The state press refuses to publish any articles by oppositional parties despite the fact that the law guarantees to them the access to mass media.
10.02.2009 Attacks on the Press in 2008: Belarus
In February visit to Belarusian State University, President Aleksandr Lukashenko bluntly outlined his regime's press policy. "Media hold a weapon of a most destructive power," Lukashenko told journalism students, "and they must be controlled by the state."
09.02.2009 New law on mass media has come into force
On 8 February there came into force the new edition of the law On mass media which had received serious criticism from the side of the Belarusian journalists.
05.02.2009 The IFJ Says Impunity and "Callous Indifference" Remain Threats as New Wave of Media Killings Wipes out Optimism Over Death Toll in 2008
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today issued its report on the killings of journalists in 2008 with a warning that 2009 could be the deadliest year yet for journalists. A wave of killings in the first days of the new year have undermined hopes that the falling death toll recorded in 2008 was the first sign of a change in the pattern of killings which have risen dramatically in recent years.
05.02.2009 Issue of non-state newspaper 'Vitebskiy Kurier M' is suspended
The non-state newspaper Vitebskiy Kurier M had to suspend its issue since the beginning of 2009 and informed the Ministry of Information about it by a special letter.
04.02.2009 ‘Belposhta’ refuses to subscribe readers to independent press, referring to Constitution
Three weeks ago a member of the council of the For Freedom movement Ales Zarembiuk received an answer to his address to A.Charniak, the head of the state monopolist on subscription Belposhta. In his address to the official Zarembiuk proposed that Belposhta returned the non-state newspapers Novy Chas and Hazeta Slonimskaya to the subscription catalog.
04.02.2009 Vitsebsk: police detain Barys Khamaida for handing out leaflets
On 4 February officers of Chyhunachny district police department of Vitsebsk detained the well-known opposition activist Barys Khamaida for handing out leaflets with the national emblem Pahonia. The matter is that the authorities of Vitsebsk oblast propose to make Pahonia the official emblem of Vitsebsk oblast, but take as sample the emblem of Vitsebsk oblast in the times of the Russian Empire.
04.02.2009 Belarus is cited among the most dangerous countries for journalists
The international journalist community has composed a list of the countries that are most dangerous for representatives of mass media.
