Ministry of Information Suspends “Nedelya” Newspaper

The editorial staff of the independent newspaper “Nedelya” managed to issue only one number before the suspension order that was signed by information minister Uladzimir Rusakevich on 4 October. However, according to the information that was given to RFE/RL by the registration department of the legal board of the ministry the order was registered on 5 October. On the other hand, the vice-head of the private Unitarian enterprise editorial house “Niamiha” that issues “Nedelya” pointed out he had no information about pretensions to the newspaper. Recently the newspaper has been checked up by the tax inspection, but the talk of the inspectors with the newspaper administration has been postponed. The newspaper had to be printed in the Russian city of Smolensk, because all Belarusian printing houses refused from its printing and “Belsayuzdruk” and “Belposhta” state distribution nets refused to conclude agreements for distribution.

According to Tsynkevich, there are no other reasons to persecute the edition but political ones:

“Regime makes it not because of its force, but due to its weakness. The authorities feel unconfident and close press in order to block sources of public information.”