Aliaksandr Lukashenko has signed the new, highly restrictive media law. This was made public by the Presidential Press Service. The law will, among other things, lead to similar restrictions for websites as for regular media. Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) has applied several times to MPs with requests to send the document for international legal expertise. (05-AUG-08)
This is a BAJ article, edited by HRHF / Ralph Pluimert
Last week the Press Service of the Head of the state refused to provide BAJ with any information concerning signing of the draft media law, despite of the fact that according to BAJ lawyers the term for signing the document expired.
The draft media law was adopted in two readings (17 and 24 June 2008) by the Chamber of Representatives, and approved on 28 June 2008 by the Council of Republic of the National Assembly. In the middle of July the draft law was sent to Constitutional Court, and after that it went to the President.
Belarusian Association of Journalists has applied several times to MPs with requests to send the document for international legal expertise. Besides, BAJ offered the expert analysis of the draft law prepared by lawyers of the organization. According to BAJ experts, there are several regressive norms in the law, namely regulation of Internet media by decrees of the government; limitation of foreign investments to media; necessity to re-register all media outlets after the law comes into effect; simple procedures of warning and closing of media outlets.
In June and July a lot of international organizations applied to Belarusian authorities with appeals to abstain from adoption of the draft media law in the form suggested. Besides, some of those organizations proposed their assistance for expert analysis of the draft law. They were OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti, the Rapporteur on Belarus of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe Andrea Rigoni, International Federation of Journalists, Article 19, Reporters sans Frontiers, Human Rignts House Foundation, Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Norwegian Union of Journalists, Norwegian PEN-Center, Danish Union of Journalists and several other organizations.
“The fact that the draft law was signed by the President despite strong international reaction is another proof of firm and sensible policy of Belarusian authorities in the media field. This is the field they want to preserve total control over despite all the protests of Belarusian and international community”, Zhanna Litvina, BAJ Chairperson, commented.
Mrs. Litvina also expressed her surprise at “complete silence of Belarusian Union of Journalists” as she is sure “we have to be at one position in what this issue concerns”.
“The most dangerous thing we can expect to face is introducing of the mechanism of control over Internet. Internet community should take a principle position, and BAJ is going not only to follow the situation, but to take particular steps. The center of our attention is moving to the Council of Ministers which is responsible for regulating of activities in Internet and will obviously prepare some decrees in this respect. I think all the parties involved should sit at one table to discuss the media situation in Belarus. We will apply with this suggestion to Belarusian Union of Journalists, to the government and to future MPs. It is very important now to start a real dialogue”, Zhanna Litvina said.
See other reactions on the new media law:
ARTICLE 19
Committee to Protect Journalists
