Relatives of the Missing Appeal to State Mass Media

On January 20 relatives of the kidnapped Belarusian politicians and public activists passed their appeal to the authorities of the republican mass media that “don’t want to inform Belarusian citizens about the problem of kidnaps of oppositional politicians, or flood with cynical lies when touching this topic”.

To the chief director of the newspaper “Belarus Segodnya” Paviel Iakubovich
To the chief director of the newspaper “Narodnaya Gazeta” Mikhail Shymanski
To the chief director of the newspaper “Respublica” Anatol Liemiashonak
To the director of the Belarusian TV Iahor Rybakou
To the director of STV Aliaxandr Zimouski
To director of ONT Ryhor Kisiel
To director of Belarusian TV and Radio Company Uladzimir Martynau

Sirs!

We, friends and relatives of the kidnapped Belarusian politicians apply to you as to the heads of the State mass media that are issued on the expense of the State budget, which means for financial means of Belarusian citizens, including our money.

Four more than three years already in our country there have disappeared people who weren’t afraid to openly express their opposition to the present power – the power who is unable to guarantee security of citizens, the power that grossly violates human rights and can’t provide a worthy life standard. Our authorities can’t bear criticism. This is a possible reason why our relatives aren’t with us today. We don’t know anything about their fate.

In this situation the State mass media that should act in interests of the whole society, supplely serve only the acting power. They don’t to inform Belarusian citizens about the problem of kidnaps of oppositional politicians, or flood with cynical lies when touching this topic. You know it as well as we do.

Today we pass you this appeal to remind that your employers aren’t president and the government, but citizens of our country whom, in accordance with the Constitution, you should provide with true information, not a propagandist infection.