“Banned Bands” Are Thrown out of Ether

The bands that played at the meeting of 21 July are purposefully pressed out of the ether of state radio stations and pages of state newspapers. Concert agencies receive recommendations to stop cooperation with them.

The musician of the “Drum Ecstasy” band Filip Chmyr informed the press-service of Belarusian Association of Journalists that since 21 July several newspaper and TV interviews with the band have been disrupted. In private, he mentioned the material that was to have been published in the “Respublika” newspaper after the concert of 21 July and the prepared broadcast of STV channel that wasn’t shown. Workers of the ONT channel, who wanted to make an interview with the band, had to refuse from their plans after a talk with their administration. One of the reasons for the great interest of journalists to the band is its participation in the production of the soundtrack to the popular Russian film “Nochnoy Dozor” (“Night Watch”).

Other participants of the concert are in the same situation. “N.R.M.” leader Liavon Volski states the decrease of interest of journalists to his person as well. According to him, only independent mass media have contacted him recently.

Besides, it becomes much more difficult to organize public concerts in Belarus. According to the musicians, certain structures warn concert and promotion agencies against collaboration with them. For instance, after a talk with representatives of the Ministry of Culture of Minsk City Executive Committee the organizers of the concert that will take place on 11-12 September stated that “Drum Ecstasy” would not take part in it. The musicians were also deprived of the right to perform at the widely promoted “LG” festival.

Press-service of Belarusian Association of Journalists