The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

08.05.2013 Journalists Halko and Yarashevich sentenced to arrest

In the evening of 6 May Aliaksandr Yarashevich, a journalist of the Belarusian service of Radio "Racyja", and blogger Dzmitry Halko were detained near the metro station "Mikhalova". At about 8.40 p.m. a bus with riot policemen stopped near them, the guys were pulled into a car and taken to Maskouski District Police Department in Minsk.

07.05.2013 Brest Regional Court turns down appeal of independent journalist

Milana Kharytonava, a photo correspondent of "Brestskiy Kuryer", appealed against the verdict of Maskouski District Court of Brest concerning the insult of her honor, dignity and business reputation.

06.05.2013 Journalists Barbarych and Yarashevich appeal court verdicts

The independent journalists informed the Belarusian Association of Journalists about filing appeals against their arrest with Minsk City Court.

03.05.2013 Byalynichy: police inspector holds another questioning concerning “BelSat” journalists

In the midday on 2 May police inspector of Bialynichy District Executive Committee Alyaksandr Yemelyanau came to the house of Valery Vusik in the village of Lebyadzyanka and asked how the latter got acquainted with independent journalists and how the report about the "Lebyadzyanka" farm appeared on the TV channel "BelSat".

03.05.2013 Does publication of newspaper in Belarus violate the equality of state languages?

In February members of Slonim branch of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy gathered 39 signatures under an address to the chief editor of the “Slonimski Vestnik” newspaper, calling to return the Belarusian language to its pages, which had been completely replaced by Russian.

03.05.2013 Today Is the World Press Freedom Day

The day declares freedom of expression as one of the highest values.

02.05.2013 Belarus is among world's worst countries on freedom of press

Freedom House has published its report on freedom of the press in 2012. Belarus got in the list of the most repressive countries.

02.05.2013 Police inspector questions independent journalist about "BelSat" staff

In the morning of 2 May an inspector of Byalynichy District Police Department, police lieutenant Alaksandr Yemyalyanau, paid a visit to the private house in the agrarian settlement of Vyalikaya Mashchanitsa. He said that the main reason for the visit was the wish to find out how the information about the "Lebyadzyanka" farm got to the satellite TV channel "BelSat" and whether the journalists who shot the report were members of "BelSat" staff.

30.04.2013 Reporters Without Borders: Authorities try to suppress coverage of anti-nuke demos

Reporters Without Borders condemns the arrests of at least six journalists on 26 April while they were covering anti-nuclear marches that environmentalists and opposition activists organize each year on the anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

30.04.2013 Belsat TV denied accreditation again

The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused to accredit the Poland-based Belsat TV channel, referring to repeated offences by the channel’s journalists while working in Belarus, www.belsat.eu said on Monday.

29.04.2013 Unknown people enter Minsk office of Radio Racyja

Unidentified people entered the office of Radio Racyja, a Polish-based radio station, in Minsk at the end of last week.

29.04.2013 Minsk court convicts participants of Chernobyl Way march, journalists

Minsk Savetski District Court heard today administrative charges brought against six persons detained during and following Chernobyl Way memorial demonstration on Friday, including two journalists of Radio Racyja Henadz Barbarych and Aliaksandr Yarashevich, as well as human rights defender Viachaslau Dashkevich.

29.04.2013 Statement by Radio Racyja on detention of journalists

The Belarusian Radio Racyja expresses its protest at the detention of two journalists.

26.04.2013 KGB warns Hrodna journalist

Uladzimir Khilmanovich was warned by the KGB that his newspaper articles in the Bialystok-based “Niva” newspaper might be subject to criminal charges of defaming the Republic of Belarus, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty Belarus service reports.