Lawsuits by Ministry of Information are a political order

Andrei Skurko, editor-in-chief of “Nasha Niva” newspaper, thinks that a lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Information is a “political order”.

The Ministry of Information has filed lawsuits in the Supreme Economic Court of Belarus demanding to stop issuing the newspapers “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya”.

A decision was taken in accordance with item 2.2 of article 51 of the Law on Mass Media and in connection with issuing two and more written warnings during one year to the above mentioned newspapers.

As “Nasha Niva” editor-in-chief Andrei Skurko told BelaPAN, he regards the lawsuit filed by the Ministry of Information a “political order”. The journalist reminded that the paper had got three warnings: two for publications related to a Russian documentary Gotbatka about the Belarusian authorities, and the latest one for an article about the terrorist attack in Minsk.

According to Skurko, the newspaper will appeal against the latest warning and the lawsuit to the Supreme Economic Court.

“Narodnaya Volya” editor-in chief Iosif Syaredzich also told BelaPAN he was going to defend his paper in court. “If society needs “Nasha Niva” and “Narodnaya Volya”, they will be published,” he said.

There are no comments from the Ministry of Information.