20.07.2009 Regional publishers form association

A newly-created Association of Regional Press Publishers ‘United Mass Media’ was officially registered by Brest Regional Executive Committee on 15 July. ‘We can and should unite. Regional publishers have never competed on the national information level,’ said Uladzimir Yanukevich, head of the Intex-Press publishing house and chair of the Association. ‘United Mass Media’ is an association of over 10 independent regional newspapers and was created as an open membership NGO.

15.07.2009 New warnings for ‘illegal journalism’

On 14 July Minsk oblast prosecutor’s office used warnings for ‘illegal journalist activities’ to the members of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Axana and Alexander Kalinkins.

14.07.2009 Warned for organizing School for Young Journalists

An organizer of the Slonim-based School for Young Journalists, civil activist Ales Masiuk, has been issued an official warning.

14.07.2009 Russian neo-Nazi threaten to journalist of Charter’97 website Natallia Radzina

On 8 July the article titled RBU leader granted amnesty in honour of the 65th anniversary of liberation of Belarus from Nazi troops was published on the website www.charter97.org . The article told how one of the leaders of the so called Russian National Unity (RNU) in Homel didn’t carry condign punishment for beating people, but was convicted under Article 193,1 ‘activity on behalf of an unregistered organization’ and granted amnesty before the judgment of conviction took effect.

09.07.2009 Ivan Kruk appeals against fine

Astravets activist Ivan Kruk, who has been fined for handing out press editions containing no imprint, appealed against the verdict of Astravets district court to Hrodna oblast court, and also applied to Hrodna oblast prosecutor’s office.

09.07.2009 Homel: detentions for distribution of non-state newspapers

On 9 July at 7 a.m. policemen detained the head of Homel branch of the Party of Communists of Belarus Uladzimir Siakerka and his party comrade Mikalai Zasuski.

08.07.2009 Homel: journalist detained for covering mass action of protest

On 8 July in the morning in Homel people in mufti detained a member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, independent journalist Aleh Razhkou.

08.07.2009 Veterans of Afghan war sue ‘Sovetskaya Belorussiya’

The co-chairmen of the organizing committee of the association of Afghan war veterans Defenders of Fatherland Aleh Vouchak and Alexander Kamarouski have filed two suits against the newspaper of the presidential administration of Lukashenka, Sovetskaya Belorussiya to Savetski district court of Minsk.

08.07.2009 Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuses to register Belarusian representation of BelSat TV

The official reason is that one more document is needed to register the TV channel.

02.07.2009 ARCHE extremism case terminated

Brest Maskouski Court has terminated the legal prosecution of the ARCHE analytical magazine for alledged propaganda of extremism after the local KGB department declared they would not insist on putting the charge on the defendant. According to an official letter recieved by ARCHE, the hearing was closed, the judge and the secretary being the only persons present.

29.06.2009 Ivan Kruk is fined for giving several newspapers to neighbor

On 26 June Astravets district court ruled that the local democratic activist Ivan Kruk was to be fined 700 000 rubles for ‘distribution of periodicals without imprint’.

24.06.2009 Chief Editor of independent newspaper warned by local authorities

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists’ press-service, Uladzimir Skrabatun, editor-in-chief of the Volnaye Hlybokaye independent newspaper, has been warned by the town of authorities of Hlybokaye, Vitsebsk region following a complaint by an unknown town resident. The warning was issued for violating entrepreneurs’ regulations, after Mr.Skrabatun’s daughter Nadzeya, engaged in selling the newspaper at the local market, refused to give a client the book of complaints.

24.06.2009 Polish-language press seized from leaders of Union of Poles of Belarus

Leaders of the Union of Poles of Belarus Mieczyslaw Jaskiewicz, Ihar Bantsar, Andrzej Pisalnik, and Andrzej Poczobut had to spend three hours at a militia station in Shchuchyn.

Militia officers confiscated Glos znad Niemna na uchodzstwie newspaper and Magazyn Polski, printed by the Union of Poles of Belarus headed by Andżelika Borys, Radio Svaboda reports.

A report of seizure was drawn up. Militiamen said the activists had been detained as militia had received information they were carrying anti-state materials. The department on ideology of the Shchuchyn district executive committee would check the newspaper and the magazine, journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza Andrzej Poczobut said. He also told the militia officers tried to hinder them to get to Ivyanets for a session of the local UPB branch.

23.06.2009 ARCHE magazine not extremist any longer, says KGB

The KGB Brest regional department will not insist on naming #7-8 of the ARCHE analytical magazine extremist, says the KGB spokesman Mikhail Sharkouski. According to the defendant’s lawyer Pavel Sapelka, the next hearing of the trial is due on 25 June. ‘Since there is no point of dispute anymore, we hope that the case will be terminated. The court has no grounds for turning down the KGB’s motion,’ said the lawyer.

17.06.2009 Lawsuit against Sovetskaya Belorussiya turned down

Minsk Savetski Court has turned down the claim by the civil activist Halina Yubko against the Sovetskaya Belorussiya major pro-government newspaper and its journalist Viktar Panamarou, following the publication of an article ‘providing a biased coverage’ of the civil campaign headed by Mrs.Yubko. The activist says she is going to appeal the verdict at Minsk City Court.