Statement of Belarusian Association of Journalists
regarding the adoption of a new Law "On Mass Media"
The Belarusian Association of Journalists expresses its protest in
relation with the adoption of a new Law «On Mass Media» after the 2nd
reading by the Chamber of Representatives at the National Assembly of
Belarus.
Not only is the freedom of speech among the most important civil and
political rights. Moreover, it forms a criterion that ensures
implementation of other human rights. Consequently, in our opinion it
is unacceptable to consider and adopt a legal act that infringes upon
this fundamental right, stipulated in two articles of Constitution of
Belarus (art. 33 and art.34), in such a hasty way.
We are sure that such laws have to be adopted after their
comprehensive consideration and discussion with all the interested
people and organizations as well as on carrying out their public
discussion and international expert examinations.
We would like to emphasize that the Belarusian state authorities
promised to send the draft bill on the media to the Council of Europe
Parliamentary Assembly for holding a legal examination. However, they
failed to keep their promises.
The haste with adoption of the media law reveals its repressive and
restrictive core. The assumption gets confirmed by the contents of the
legal act.
The Media Law:
— introduces the necessity of registration of
control over the Internet from the side of the Ministry of Information
and the Public Prosecutor’s Office;
— requires
comes into force;
— broadens considerably possibilities of closing down media outlets by
the state authorities;
— complicates the activity and increases the pressure on independent
journalists and foreign correspondents;
We would like to remind the members of the Chamber of Representatives
about their responsibility for the decisions they take and call upon
the Council of Republic to turn down the Law «On the Media» and send
it back for revision.
We appeal to the Belarusian and international community members with a
request to express their attitude towards the legal act that infringes
upon the Belarusian citizens' right to receive and distribute the
unbiased information and to express their personal views and opinions.
Adopted by the Board of Belarusian Association of Journalists
