24.08.2009 NTV journalist Aleksey Malkov: “Belarusian secret services threatened me openly”

The deported Russian journalist says people in mufti questioned him in a neglected sanatorium in the forest.

We remind that a film crew of the Russian NTV channel, namely journalist Andrei Malkov and camera operator Yury Babenko, was deported from Belarus on August 14. The film crew was making a report about the missing politicians and public activists. The Russian journalist interviewed the wife of parliamentary vice speaker Viktar Hanchar disappeared in 1999 and the wife of journalist Zmitser Zavadski, who disappeared in 2000. The international community accuses a number of high-ranking Belarusian officials from Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s inner circle of their involvement in the kidnapping.

21.08.2009 Prosecutor’s office warned Mahilou journalist for working for Belsat

Member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Volha Sharapkina is punished for activity without accreditation.

As Radio Svaboda reports, the journalist got a warning from the prosecutor’s office of the Chavusy district. According to Volha Sharapkina, the reason was her report about the children’s home in Chavusy shown on independent Belsat TV channel.

“Prosecutor of Chavusy Syarhei Kinau gave me the warning,” Volha Sharapkina tells. “He said I had the right to appeal against the warning. I am going to take legal advice. We made a report about a charity action in the children’s home.

17.08.2009 Correspondent of Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita got warning

Andrzej Pisalnik, a correspondent of Rzeczpospolita in Belarus, got an official warning for an “intention to spread newspapers without imprints”.

As Radio Svaboda reports, the journalist got a official warning from prosecutors for the fact copies of Magazyn Polski na Uchodzstwie and newspaper Glos znad Niemna had been found in his car and confiscated by militia in Shchuchyn in June. According to prosecutors, he allegedly was going to spread them illegally.

17.08.2009 Russian journalists arrested and deported from Belarus

An NTV film crew was shooting a film in Minsk about the disappeared politicians.

Aleksey Malkov and Yury Babenko were detained on August 14 in the hotel of the International Education Center (IBB) where they had stayed.

As the website www.charter97.org learnt that officers of secret services in mufti got the journalists out of the room at 7:00 p.m. The people signed Malkov and Babenko out. According to the preliminary information, the journalists were guarded to the Maskouski district militia department.

13.08.2009 State monopolist ‘Beposhta’ refuses to return subscription to oppositional media

The postal monopolist didn’t include independent newspapers Svobodnye Novosti Plus and Hantsavitski Chas in the subscription catalogue for the second half of year 2009.

11.08.2009 KGB is reluctant to explain reasons for warning to Yan Roman

Ihar Siarheyenka, head of Hrodna oblast KGB department, refuses to explain the reasons for an official warning to Yan Roman, journalist for Radio Racyja.

31.07.2009 Court denied human rights activists and took side of “Sovetskaya Belorussia”

The Minsk City Court dismissed the claim of Halina Yubko, head of the initiative “Women against Lawlessness in Courts and Procuracy” against the newspaper of Lukashenka’s Administration.

The Savetski district court of Minsk dismissed the claim against “Sovetsakaya Belorusia” a month ago, Radio Svaboda reports.

Halina Yubko found offensive the information spread by the newspaper in February about the initiative “Women against Lawlessness in Courts and Procuracy”. The newspaper wrote that women unsatisfied with court judgements allegedly “press courts with tears and cries”. Halina Yubko, found a victim by court, can’t reach a solution of case for some years, said at the trial she “had used only legal means and was seeking the rights guaranteed by the Constitution”.

29.07.2009 Prosecutor’s office issued warning to Union of Poles’ magazine’s editor-in-chief

The prosecutor’s office of Hrodna believes that “Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie” violates the Belarusian law.

As Radio Racyja was informed by the editor-in-chief Ihar Bantsar, the motive for issuing a warning were his professional activities and the fact that the magazine of the Union of Poles in Belarus which is not recognized by the authorities, headed by Anzelika Borys, does not have an imprint required by the Belarusian law

28.07.2009 Editor of magazine of Union of Poles in Belarus summoned to prosecutor’s office

Editor-in-chief of “Magazyn Polski na uchodźstwie” Ihar Bantsar received a summons from the prosecutor’s office of the Hrodna region saying he must give explanations to the deputy prosecutor.

Ihar Bantsar doesn’t exclude the reason for summons was the May issue of “Magazyn Polski na uchodźstwie”, containing a number of critical materials about Alyaksandr Lukashenka and measures taken by the committee of state security (KGB) against independent journalists. Besides, a collage depicting Lukashenka as Russian tsar Alexander III was placed on the cover, the independent journalist told Radio Svaboda.

28.07.2009 Prosecutor's office checks whether Belsat TV channel works in Belarus

The prosecutor’s office of Shklou studies the complaint by an engineer of a news paper plant against an independent Mahilyou-based journalist Henadz Sudnik.

As informed by Radio Svaboda, today Henadz Sudnik has been giving explanations to the prosecutor of Shklou’s prosecutor’s office.

The journalist was served a summons to the prosecutor’s office. The conversation lasted for about an hour. Henadz Sudnik called the complaint by the chief engineer a provocation.

27.07.2009 ARCHE magazine denied right to distribution

The editor-in-chief of the ARCHE analytical magazine Valer Bukhakau has received a letter from head of the Belsayuzdruk state press distribution monopoly Ihar Dudzich, saying that the magazine will not be able to be sold through the state-owned network due to ‘overload.’ Mr.Bulhakau says there have not been many changes in the field of distribution of independent media, since the conditions are still very unequal.

20.07.2009 Regional publishers form association

A newly-created Association of Regional Press Publishers ‘United Mass Media’ was officially registered by Brest Regional Executive Committee on 15 July. ‘We can and should unite. Regional publishers have never competed on the national information level,’ said Uladzimir Yanukevich, head of the Intex-Press publishing house and chair of the Association. ‘United Mass Media’ is an association of over 10 independent regional newspapers and was created as an open membership NGO.

15.07.2009 New warnings for ‘illegal journalism’

On 14 July Minsk oblast prosecutor’s office used warnings for ‘illegal journalist activities’ to the members of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Axana and Alexander Kalinkins.

14.07.2009 Warned for organizing School for Young Journalists

An organizer of the Slonim-based School for Young Journalists, civil activist Ales Masiuk, has been issued an official warning.

14.07.2009 Russian neo-Nazi threaten to journalist of Charter’97 website Natallia Radzina

On 8 July the article titled RBU leader granted amnesty in honour of the 65th anniversary of liberation of Belarus from Nazi troops was published on the website www.charter97.org . The article told how one of the leaders of the so called Russian National Unity (RNU) in Homel didn’t carry condign punishment for beating people, but was convicted under Article 193,1 ‘activity on behalf of an unregistered organization’ and granted amnesty before the judgment of conviction took effect.