09.02.2010 How Belarusian riot militia impedes and threaten journalists

Riot militiamen were threatening bodily harm to journalists during dispersing an opposition demonstration on February 8.

This can be seen and heard on the footage by Radio Svaboda journalist Aleh Hruzdzilovich. Riot militiamen didn’t react to a journalist’s request to stop hindering him to perform professional duties, but continued pushing him and close camera with their hands.

05.02.2010 “Narodnaya Volya“ fined for advertising BelSat TV

The independent Belarusian newspaper will have to pay a fine of 700,000 rubles.

On February 4, the Leninski district court of Minsk found the paper guilty of violating the Law on Advertising and fined it.

04.02.2010 BelSat journalist sentenced to 10 days of prison

Ivan Shulha, journalist of the Poland-based BelSat independent TV channel, has been sentenced to 10 days of imprisonment for violating Article 17.1 of the Civil Code (disorderly conduct).

04.02.2010 European Union condemns decree on Internet censorship in Belarus

The European Union thinks the decree puts more restrictions on freedom of speech in Belarus.

Lutz Guellner, a spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, commented on the decree regulating activity of websites in Belarus, Radio Svaboda reports.

01.02.2010 Homel: member of Belarusian Association of Journalists is summoned to oblast procuracy

Larysa Shchyrakova, member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, received a writ to come to prosecutor Alesia Rabtsava at 10 a.m. on 2 February.

01.02.2010 New legislation on tightening control over Internet

The Belarusian telecommunication operators have been obliged to keep information on services rendered to their clients for five years.

29.01.2010 AEJ supports Belarus journalists' demands for media freedom as elections approach

The Association of European Journalists, representing more than 1000 journalists in more than 20 countries, deplores and condemns the Belarus government's controls, interference and threats of closure or prosecution of independent media in the country and we call urgently for an end to those abuses of democratic amd media freedoms.

28.01.2010 Interior Minister justifies total lawlessness by riot policemen

Today the Interior Minister of Belarus has stated that during the opposition rallies journalists provoke brutality of riot policemen themselves.

At today’s press-conference in Minsk journalists grumbled to the minister of the Interior Affairs Anatoly Kulyashou at brutal actions of policemen during opposition rallies, when photo reporters and cameramen are hindered from performing their professional functions, Radio Svaboda informs.

22.01.2010 Journalist appeals denial of access to information

Anatol Mazhou, journalist of the Barysau-based local independent newspaper Borisovskie novosti, lodged complaint with the local prosecutor’s office after he was denied access to information by three state agencies within one day on 19 January.

15.01.2010 Lukashenka creates special secret service for Internet

The Operating and Analytical centre under the president is given the right to control online correspondence of Belarusians and monitor which websites they browse.

13.01.2010 Vitsebsk: searh in apartment of journalist Siarhei Serabro

Police conduct a search in apartment rented by Siarhei Serabro, editor of the web-page Narodnyia Naviny Vitsebska (Popular news of Vitsebsk).

12.01.2010 Authorities disrupt round table on unlawful Internet restrictions

The Belarusian Language Society (BLS) named after Francysk Skaryna received a warning of the Ministry of Justice saying that discussion of draft decrees of Lukashenka contradicts to the organization’s charter.

11.01.2010 ’Reporters Without Borders’ is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet

Reporters Without Borders is worried about the government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet in a country where free expression is already restricted. President Alexander Lukashenko acknowledged on 30 December that his government is putting the final touches to a bill to this effect. The draft decree was leaked to the media on December 14, 2009. The discussions around it remain secret.

06.01.2010 Results of Uladzimir Hrydzin’s complaints against unlawful actions of police

Officers of the Pershamaiski district police department of Minsk partially confessed the violations towards the journalist Uladzimir Hrydzin on 29 September, whereas the Pershamaiski district guard department of MIA states that its officers didn’t violate any legal norms by their actions.

06.01.2010 ’Mahiliouski Chas’ denied registration third time

The Ministry of Information for the third time refused to register the private newspaper Mahiliouski Chas. This time the officials stated that the building where the legal address of the edition was placed didn’t meet the legal requirements.