The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

News on the topic: mass media

07.04.2008 Another journalist interrogated by KGB

4 April the investigator of the Homel oblast KGB office Andrei Kolasau interrogated the journalist Dzmitry Karpenka as a witness in case #05011110396, brought in 2005 on the fact of defaming the head of the state.

04.04.2008 Video from Freedom Day action not returned to Lithuanian journalists

‘There’s still no answer from the Belarusian side to the demand of the Lithuanian national television (LRT) to return the video cassette with shootings of the Freedom Day action that has been confiscated by the police on 25 March and compensate the expenses for the repairs of the damaged video camera,’ stated the LRT correspondent Ruta Rybachauskene to the BAJ press-service on 2 April.

28.03.2008 Journalist Barshcheuski summoned to KGB for interrogation

Today at 10 a.m. Barshcheuski was summoned to the regional department of KGB to senior investigator Ivan Maskaliou, who searched his apartment yesterday. For over an hour Barshcheuski insisted that human rights defender and journalist valer Shchukin could be present during the interrogation as his representative.

27.03.2008 In Vitebsk human rights defender Paval levinau detained

Member of Belarusian Helsinki Committee Paval Levinau was preventively detained near the apartment building of journalist Aleh Barshcheuski. KGB searched Barshcheuski’s apartment. Paval Levinau arrived soon after the beginning of the search and volunteered to be a witness. Instead, the policemen accused the human rights defender of usage of foul language and detained him. Now Levinau is at kastrychnitski police department of Vitebsk.

27.03.2008 Babruisk journalist Andrei Shobin detained after search

KGB representatives searched the private apartment of Babruisk journalist Andrei Shobin. The search was carried out within the framework of the criminal case instigated under Article 367 of the Criminal Code – “Libel against the President of the Republic of Belarus”. As a result of the search all computer equipment and information carriers, including diskettes and video tapes, were confiscated. According to Babruisk human rights defenders, Shobin was detained and will be interrogated as a witness in the case.

27.03.2008 Yulia Kotskaya detained in Minsk

In Minsk Yulia Kotskaya, a journalist from Hrodna, is detained. She used to work with newspaper Pahonia, the office of which is now being searched in Hrodna. KGB agents are taking Yulia for interrogation to Kamsamolskaya Street, 30

27.03.2008 Searches at private apartments of Vitebsk journalists Alena Stsiapanava and Vadzim Barshcheuski

In Vitebsk KGB agents began searches at private apartments of local journalists Alena Stsiapanava and Vadzim Barshcheuski. Stsiapanava worked with RFE/RL and BelaPAN information agency. KGB is also searching apartments where Radio Racyja journalists live. We receive information from all over the country about searches in the apartments of independent journalists in Brest, Hrodna, Vitebsk, and Biaroza. The journalist from Biaroza is accused of insult of the president. Minsk office of the European Radio for Belarus is blocked. According to some reports, KGB agents show a search warrant signed by deputy Prosecutor General Struk. The search warrant could be given within the framework of the criminal case of insult of the president. Radio Racyja office is also blocked. The search at the apartment of BAJ member Eduard Melnikau ended with seizure of his laptop.

27.03.2008 The police also detained BelaPAN reporter Aliaksandar Yanusik, who came to cover the news.

BAJ reports, KGB agents came to the private apartment of Homel journalist Anatol Hatouchyts. They are also carrying out a search in the apartment of Vitebsk journalist Aleh Barshcheuski. According to preliminary information, similar searches and detentions are taking place in Brest, Vitebsk, and Hrodna, where special services representatives are trying to get into private apartments of journalists. In Biaroza, the police search the apartment of journalist Shchapiotkina, who worked with Radio Racyja. She was shown a search warrant signed by Minsk officials. They accuse her of libel against the president.

27.03.2008 Police search Minsk office of Radio Racyja

Nasha Niva learned from staff of Radio Racyja, about 8.30 a.m. KGB agents came to Minsk office of Radio Racyja. The office of the independent radio is located in a rented apartment. They stand at the staircase and detain everyone who approaches the doors.

19.03.2008 Independent newspapers issues arrested

According to Zmitser Ianenka, vice-chief editor of Tovarishch newspaper, the car with latest issues of two independent newspapers Narodnaia volia and Tovarishch was stopped by Belarusian road police on entering the country. The driver was told to go to local police department.

13.03.2008 Editorial Office of ‘Belorusy i Rynok’ Newspaper Robbed

Two days have passed since independent analytical weekly newspaper “Belorusy i Rynok” changed the location, when the editor’s office was visited by uninvited guests. Robbers were in the building at night 13 March.

13.03.2008 Head of Belarusian State TV and Radio Company Threatens Entrepreneurs

Aliaksandr Zimouski, head of the Belarusian State TV and Radio Company, has answered to the entrepreneurs who had addressed him with a request to give them an opportunity to appear on TV in a live program.

11.03.2008 Brest: Journalists Detained while Implementing Professional Duties

A group of independent correspondents spent 5 hours in a police department. Besides a colonel, ideological officers of Brest oblast executive committee spoke with them.

10.03.2008 'Euronews' Conceal Reasons for US Sanctions against Belarus

The Russian service of the pan-European TV channel Euronews informed about the reaction of the Belarusian population to the sanctions imposed by the US.