Skype and Viber to Be Restricted in Belarus?

Lukashenka signed the decree "On Improvement of Transmission Procedure of Telecommunication Messages."

Lukashenka's Decree from March 15 launches traffic incident response system in telecommunication networks, the National Legal Portal informs. The document comes into force in 6 months after its publication.

The document specifies that users of telecommunication services (and the Internet) are prohibited "to use hardware and software tools, which together are used to transform data exchange protocol used for voice and other messages from a subscriber who makes a call and deliver such messages to another subscriber using numbers that do not belong to the subscriber who owns the number."

The President's operational and analytical center who is obliged to control the restriction informs Radio Svaboda about lack of power to comment on the decree and ask to wait for the press release on its site or submit a written inquiry, which is subject to response within a month.

It is probably about IP telephony. The way when special software is used to make calls from a PC or a smart phone to landline and mobile phone numbers (as a rule it is cheaper, especially when calling abroad).

Skype and Viber fall under the ruling. They allow to make call to landline and mobile phone numbers (for free as well, if the call is between two or more program users). Interestingly, another law allows interrogations through Skype or Viber.

SMS from sites of operators (MTC, Velcom, Life:)) also are in the list, cryptosecure messengers (Telegram, CryptoCat, Signal) may also be illegal. Anonymizers may also be prohibited in Belarus, if desired.

After disclosure of violations a subscriber will face suspicion of service deliveries, blockage of telephone traffic though IP-protocol (it will be a gross violation, if it is not implemented), illegal activity "entails liability in accordance with legislative acts." An operator has the right to demand explanations of a subscriber on violations and make test calls to suspicious numbers.

National Traffic Exchange Centre (NTEC) will provide creation and use of "restrictive" measures. Organizations and natural persons must provide assistance to the NTEC for free. Operators are obliged to integrate with NTEC software package, make agreements for fee-based access to it and inform about revealed violations.