Situation with Freedom of Press in Belarus Inadmissible :: Charter'97 :: News

“Situation with the freedom of press in Belarus is inadmissible for a democratic country; mass media are controlled by the state, journalists get imprisoned, while economic and legal infringement on free media rights is commonplace”, reads the report on freedom of speech in Europe, published by the PACE rapporteur for the freedom of press Tytti Isohookana-Asunmaa. The report is being discussed at the winter PACE session, which opened on January 28 in Strasbourg.

The rapporteur recalled that on January 24, 2002 the CoE Committee for culture, science and education held in Strasbourg a meeting on the freedom of speech in Belarus, which attracted the Minister of information of Belarus Mikhail Podgainy, representatives of the Belarusian Association of journalists, “national assembly”, opposition, journalists and NGO people. During the meeting, she said, the journalists pointed out that opposition enjoys no access to state media, while the non-state media outlets – opposition’s sole mouthpieces – have limited circulations and are liable to various forms of penalties and censorship on part of the high-ranking officials.

The text of the report also states that in the year 2002 three journalists – Mozheiko, Markevich and Ivashkevich – were condemned for defaming the incumbent and sentenced to social labor. Moreover, as a result of economic and legal pressure exerted on press via the state monopoly (through heavy taxation and advertising policy) in Minsk and the regions there ceased existence the following independent periodicals – “Belorusskaya Molodezhnaya”, “Dyen”, “Rabochy”, “Golas Pruzhan”, “Tydnevik Magileuski” and “Solidarnost” of Mogilev.