The most popular websites to be blocked for Belarusians

In case a new law on mass media will be adopted, the regime would be able to block all websites which are not registered in Belarus as mass media.

The project of a new law “On mass media” that reached the “house of representatives” after 5 years of elaboration on June 10 keeps the principle of the declare-allow principle of registration of mass media, allows blocking all web resources of mass media that are not registered in Belarus and allows to prosecute any Belarusian who presents information to a foreign mass media without accreditation. If the law is adopted Belarus will face mass reregistration of all mass media, European Radio for Belarus informs.

The project of the law “On mass media” was included on the agenda of the current session of the lower chamber on the day it arrived. A civil association “The Belarusian Association of Journalists” (BAJ) criticizes the document that may start regulating the field of mass media soon.

The deputy chairperson of BAJ Andrei Bastunets explains that the new law poses a great threat to the Internet – the authorities may block all Internet mass media that are not registered in Belarus regardless of their origin:

“It is possible that certain resources that are not registered as mass media in Belarus will be blocked on the basis of violation of the law on mass media. It may be websites having the majority of visitors. It will result in a greater anonymity of people working on the Internet. Journalists using their real names to work for web resources situated in other domains will be prosecuted for working without accreditation”, Mr Bastunets is convinced.

According to a BAJ lawyer Yury Tarapashau, the new project of the law “On mass media” will be a rude violation of the right of every Belarusian for getting and distributing information guaranteed by the Constitution:

“Professional activities of journalists working for foreign mass media without accreditation are forbidden. It means that if you write an article and send it to a foreign edition you are considered to be a reporter of the edition and you are forbidden to work. It is a rude violation of one of the fundamental articles of the Belarusian Constitution: a citizen’s right to access information”.

BAJ experts draw attention to some other issues delaying the development of the freedom of speech and mass media in the draft – the declare-allow principle of registration of mass media has been kept; getting financial aid from private persons or foreign organizations is forbidden unless they are co-founders of the mass media. Furthermore, unlimited possibilities for pronouncing a warning to any mass media and its liquidation are provided there.

The BAJ chairperson Zhanna Litvina is sure that the draft of the law “On mass media” confirms the authorities’ desire to control all independent mass media including printed and Internet editions. She thinks that the state of mass media and the freedom of speech in Belarus is becoming worse:

“The desire to control Internet mass media is another confirmation of the fact that the authorities’ policy on mass media, especially the independent ones, remains very strict, consistent and sensible”.

Let us remind you that the elaboration of the new law started in 2003. It has always been worked out secretly which causes a lot of protests among journalists. The authors of the law have suggested giving control over the Internet to the Council of Ministers. The “house of representatives” of the Belarusian “national assembly” will discuss the draft “On mass media” on June 17. Meanwhile, BAJ has sent written appeals to every deputy.