Propagandist Mikhalchanka removed from EU “black list”

Such a decision has been passed by the General Court of the European Union in Luxemburg.

The court admitted that the rights of Alyaksei Mikhalchanka had been infringed, and the entry of the Belarusian journalist in the list of persons subject to restrictive measures of the European Council against Belarus was annulled, reads the ruling of the court published today.

Among the restrictive measures used by the EU are among other things, travel bans within the EU and asset freezes in respect of various Belarusian nationals including Lukashenka, whom the EU holds accountable for violation of international electoral standards during the presidential elections in Belarus in 2006 and the hard crackdown on protesters in the Square on December 19, 2010.

In January 2011 Alyaksei Mikhalchanka, who works for the ONT TV channel, and a member of the Central Election Commission Vadzim Ipatau were entered in the lists of persons subject to restrictive measures. The EU adopted such measures against Mikhalchanka on the following ground: “Journalist of the state TV channel ONT with senior and influential position”.

In 2012, the Council maintained those measures while amending the ground as follows: ‘Journalist of the state TV channel ONT with an influential position. He is the anchorman of the TV programme “Kak est” (“That is how it is”). This programme is an instrument of state propaganda on TV, which supports and justifies the repression of the democratic opposition and of civil society”. According to the materials of the court, “the opposition and civil society are systematically highlighted in a negative and derogatory way using falsified information. [Mr Mikhalchanka] was particularly active in this regard after the crackdown on peaceful demonstrations on 19 December 2010 and on subsequent protests”.