01.02.2010 Homel: member of Belarusian Association of Journalists is summoned to oblast procuracy

Larysa Shchyrakova, member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, received a writ to come to prosecutor Alesia Rabtsava at 10 a.m. on 2 February.

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.

29.01.2010 AEJ supports Belarus journalists' demands for media freedom as elections approach

The Association of European Journalists, representing more than 1000 journalists in more than 20 countries, deplores and condemns the Belarus government's controls, interference and threats of closure or prosecution of independent media in the country and we call urgently for an end to those abuses of democratic amd media freedoms.

28.01.2010 Interior Minister justifies total lawlessness by riot policemen

Today the Interior Minister of Belarus has stated that during the opposition rallies journalists provoke brutality of riot policemen themselves.

At today’s press-conference in Minsk journalists grumbled to the minister of the Interior Affairs Anatoly Kulyashou at brutal actions of policemen during opposition rallies, when photo reporters and cameramen are hindered from performing their professional functions, Radio Svaboda informs.

22.01.2010 Journalist appeals denial of access to information

Anatol Mazhou, journalist of the Barysau-based local independent newspaper Borisovskie novosti, lodged complaint with the local prosecutor’s office after he was denied access to information by three state agencies within one day on 19 January.

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.

13.01.2010 Vitsebsk: searh in apartment of journalist Siarhei Serabro

Police conduct a search in apartment rented by Siarhei Serabro, editor of the web-page Narodnyia Naviny Vitsebska (Popular news of Vitsebsk).

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 Results of Uladzimir Hrydzin’s complaints against unlawful actions of police

Officers of the Pershamaiski district police department of Minsk partially confessed the violations towards the journalist Uladzimir Hrydzin on 29 September, whereas the Pershamaiski district guard department of MIA states that its officers didn’t violate any legal norms by their actions.

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.’

16.12.2009 Nasha Niva journalist arrested

Nastassia Shamrei, reporter of the Nasha Niva independent newspaper, has been detained outside the building of the Iranian embassy on 16 December, the press-service of the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports. The journalist was arrested during a picket of support to ten Iranian gays sentenced to death.