Articles

Minsk Shops Are Ordered Not to Sell Independent Press

In Minsk a number of large shops refused to sell leading non-governmental newspapers, such as “Belorusskiy Rynok”, “Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta” (“BDG”), “Belorusskaya Gazeta” and “Narodnaya Volia”. The owners of some shops didn’t even notify the editors while cancelling the distribution agreements. (26-AUG-04)

Published: August 30, 2004

“Belorusskiy Rynok” and Belorusskaya Gazeta” encountered the problem on 23 August.

— They don’t even hide that they had received an appropriate instruction from Minsk Executive Committee, — says Viktar Bandarenka, executive director of “Belorusskaya Gazeta”.

Mr. Bandarenka’s colleagues from BDG report that last week CEOs of large shops had a talk with Uladzimir Mirhalowski, deputy head of the Main Consumer Market Department. However, the official himself doesn’t seem willing to comment the issue. Talking to the BDG reporter, he claimed “he had nothing to do with newspapers”, and broke off the telephone conversation.

According to BDG, some advertisers were pressurized the same way. More and more often they decide not to cooperate with independent press.

Source: Belarusian Association of Journalists

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