Zhanna Litvina: Information access to be completely banned :: Charter'97 :: News

“If previously information access was maximally restricted now it is going to be completely banned”, chairman of the Belarusian association of Journalists (BAJ) Zhanna Litvina thus commented the letter of the government to state- governing bodies and state organizations.

Text of Letter # 11/810-234-confidential of 22 February 2007 signed by Deputy Prime Minister A.Kabyakou appeared in Internet 28 February. The letter is addressed to state- governing bodies, state organizations, regional executive committees and to the Minsk executive committee. It instructs how the officials shall maintain cooperation with the mass media. No comment on the letter has been given, yet, at the press service of the Council of ministers.

As the letter runs, the officials are recommended ”to provide control of the appearance of state- governing bodies’ officials in mass media (interviews, articles) including the non-state press”.
” In case of non-objective and incorrect covering of economic processes, disciplinary measures up to dismissal shall be applied to the officials”.

There is also the requirement to provide constant monitoring of information published in mass media.” In case of non-objective covering of issues in the spheres guided by a ministry, committee, concern, executive committee, corresponding suggestions shall be directed to the ministry of information; actions shall be taken on providing the public with objective information, among the actions shall be official appeals, refractions, etc.”, it is said in the letter.

Zh. Litvina estimates the document as ”very specific”, aimed, mainly, at control of economic information. “ Probably, it means that the processes, which are underway in economic sphere of the country, are totally uncontrolled. Consequently, to deprive the people of information, of any possibility of thinking and discussing is at present the major objective of the state power bodies “, the head of the BAJ considers.

“The document is another attack on journalism and on freedom of word. Now information search will become extremely complicated for the journalists. “ Zh. Litvina stated.