Up to 3 years for “irregular” thoughts
The independent website vialejka.org stopped functioning on the 3rd of July. This site was concentrating its attention on social analytics, highlighted main news of the whole republic as well as the local events. The site with non-governmental orientation was one of the few independent sources of information in the region. It was a really needed site – users left their comments on the news. It was one of those comments that became a reason of sudden cessation of its functioning.
Users failed to enter the site from the 3rd of July. There was an inscription on its main page telling: “A criminal case for aspersion and insulting was initiated upon the users of the site. The second criminal case is being developed now. Ministry of Internal Affairs is searching for the administrators of the website. We will soon appear on the web. Follow the further announcements!”
Mikola Susla, one of the users of the site, was called in police as a witness.
Policemen confiscated his own PC for assessment. Police suppose that Mikola can be an administrator of the site. Mikola said that criminal case for aspersion to the head of secondary school №1 of Vileika was initiated. One of the commentators of the uploaded image left a comment, which was the reason to initiate this criminal case, as it contained a presumptive offence of a woman.
The second criminal case is now being initiated, said Mikola. The police is searching for the commentator who has left a comment to the article about Anatol Shagau’s death. Commentator talked slanderously about the head of the music school of Vileika. All users are advised to follow the news of vialejka.org on Twitter.
In according to the new President’s decree №60 the administration of the website bears criminal responsibility not only for the publications, but also for the correspondent comments. Herewith, the commentator is also responsible. Commentator can be imprisoned for three years for incorrect thoughts.
"Charter’97" — the first swallow
The case of prosecuting for the comments in the web is not without example. A few months ago, there was a criminal case for aspiration initiated following the comments on the “Charter’97”, a famous opposition internet-source.
On the 12th of February 2009 “Charter’97” website has published an Illa Ryzhankou’s (head of the soldiers-internationalists’ Board of the National armed forces) letter, that had been previously published in the state newspaper “Sovetskaya Belorussija”. Ryzhankou angrily criticized the soldiers for disclaimer of the National award “20th anniversary of withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.” The head of association “Defenders of Motherland” Aliaksandr Kamarouski, arrested leader of Belarusian entrepreneurs, political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich and human rights advocate Aleh Vouchak were among them. The soldiers personally informed the President about their disclaimer.
Republishing of this news provoked a violent readers’ reaction. The incorrect comments appeared under this news. That was the for the interest of Prosecutor General’s Office. A criminal case for aspersion in the comments was initiated.
In addition, Aleh Vouchak and Aliaksandr Kamarouski have been called to the prosecution examination. They are now being targeted in the investigation as witnesses in this case.
It’s not known yet how Prosecutor General’s Office intends to prefer a charge in the context of this criminal case. It’s very hard to identify users who left the comments on the “Charter’97”website. Possibly, the responsibility may fall on the editorial team. Such responsibility — is a unique phenomenon not only in the Western Europe, but also on the territory of all post-Soviet countries.
One of the journalists of this website, Natallia Radzina, commented the situation: “It’s an unprecedented case. Internet is the only source of true information about the processes within the country. In addition, internet not only informs, but also mobilizes people on the eve of the elections. It’s obvious that the authorities are afraid of it. There was absolutely no obscene language in the comments. It was just overall indignation in point of suppression of the principled people in the state mass-media.”
Andrei Bastunets, a lawyer and a representative of “Belarusian Association of Journalists” considers that initiation of that criminal case is not only a suppression on “Defenders of Motherland” or “Charter’97”. “This pressure on “Charter” and independent web mass-media pressure intensification — are interrelated things. The authorities begin stifle the most popular internet sources, using the most favourable moments for that. Those who are the most inconvenient for the authorities, become witnesses.” The results of this criminal case are unknown. The case is under development now.
Thereby, the criminal case initiation for the web comments to the publications — it’s not something unexpected. Such norms are now legally approved in the President’s decree about regulation of the national segment of internet. This makes internet an area of the total unfreedom, that contradicts the very essence of the web.
Katsiaryna Klimko, based on "Nasha Niva"
