Ananich: Internet sphere in Belarus became controllable by state

According to Information Minister, Internet should “serve to the Fatherland”.

Belarus’ Information Minister spoke about the draconian amendments to the mass media law during an online press-conference hosted by BelTA website.

According to these amendments, any online media outlet could be blocked in Belarus for one warning and without recourse to a court.

“They should serve their Fatherland”

“The national informational space should be serving its country and nation in full measure. It could be called service to our Fatherland, if you like. So there is a task to create more efficient mechanisms of ensuring the constitutional right of citizens to receive full and complete information, defence of public and state interests in the sphere of mass communications.

That is why issues of amending the legislation on mass media, creating effective barriers to prevent destructive occurences symptoms in the information sphere, came to the fore last year.

Do you know that last year a commission under the ministry which is to detect indicators of presence or absence of extremism in printed publications started its work. In the end of the year the leader of the state signed into law the amendments to the Law on Mass Media.

The state has acquired control over the internet. One should bear responsibility for disseminated information. And for obvious reasons, everybody does not like that,” Ananich said.

“Everyone is responsible”

Owners of aggregator websites bear responsibility for information posted by them on an equal basis as owners of other websites, the Information Minister said.

She also explained that the circumstances with exclude responsibility, are mentioned in the Article 53 of the Law on Mass Media.

Liliya Ananich added that owners of informational media outlets do not have to apply to the Information Ministry for some permission procedure. “Information resources are to continue their work as before. However, owners should pay attention to the fact that they are to prevent use of their information resources for spreading of information which content contradicts requirements of the Law on Mass Media,” the minister said.

Besides, she informed that since the moment when the amended law on mass media came into force, the Information Ministry is monitoring online media concerning dissemination of unlawful information. The law offers a three-month term for issuing a written warning.

“It should be noted that citizens have joined this work very actively, and the Information Ministry receives appropriate reports every day,” the minister emphasized.

About Charlie Hebdo cartoons

The Information Ministry of Belarus is to look into the republishing of Prophet Mohammad cartoons by some Belarusian mass media outlets, Ananich said.

“In solidarity with the French magazine, some mass media outlets also published the cartoon. Was it the right thing to do? What kind of cartoons did they publish? I think, some public assessment, public disapproval is needed. All the leverages should be used to prevent terrorism in all the countries of the world,” the Information Minister noted.

She stressed that the ministry is going to analyze response of certain mass media of the country to the terrorist attack against Charlie Hebdo magazine in France, where people were killed.

“No matter what reasons the terrorists had, they should not have killed the people. Terrorism is unacceptable. However, I always analyze the reasons,” Liliya Ananich said.

She reminded that in 2005-2006 one of Belarusian mass media outlets published the Prophet cartoons, which entailed “a very tough and adequate response by the state, unpopular in some circles”.

The person responsible for the publication was held accountable. He was sentenced to three years in prison, “which in practice turned into three months”. “It is tough. However, the government should nip in the bud all manifestations of extremism,” the Information Minister noted.

She also said that like the majority of Belarusians, she did not have an opportunity to follow the publications of the Charlie Hebdo weekly. “However, I believe they were walking on thin ice and they knew it. And this resulted in the loss of life. We mourn the victims, we condemn terrorist attacks. However, we all should be responsible for the message we send,” she believes.

About freelancers – social parasites

A freelancer who pays taxes will not be considered a social parasite.

“I do not think that “the law on social parasitism” is a threat for freelaners. If a non-regular employee pays taxes, there would be no problems,” Liliya Ananich said.

According to the minister, it’s impossible to be a freelancer all your life. “It’s my belief that a profession of a journalist means to be connected with a concrete mass media outlet. Some people support the views of the news press, and some feel quite at home in the sector of entertainment mass media. A person can be a freelancer for a certain period of life. But I cannot imagine it is possible to be one for all of your life. I would miss a corporate spirit, communication with colleagues, exchange of experience,” she noted.

Liliya Ananich reminded that earlier each mass media outlet had string correspondents. “Mass media gained from that, as workers of the editorial office could not look at things with a fresh pair of eyes. Besides, not all topics were perceived by them, and they cannot reach all places,” she added.

The head of the Information Ministry paid attention to the fact that editorial offices should take care that the rights of a freelancer to be a journalist is protected.

About comments of readers

“According to the Law on Mass Media, the owner of a website bears the responsibility. A state administrative body, which must supervise execution of the law in this sphere, is to issue official warnings to owners of websites, in case in the comments there is information banned for dissemination, or doing damage to state or public interests, or contains insulting information or misinformation. If a concrete citizen would be insulted at a certain website, in a certain comment, this person has a right to sue the author. One responsibility does not take up another. At present the Information Ministry is specifying the list of laws and regulations, which are to be corrected after the law on mass media is adopted,” Ananich said.

Foreign mass media to be blocked like Belarusian ones

Answering the question what will happen if information is posted on a foreign online media, not a Belarusian one, but it comes within the provisions of the law on mass media, and whether such measures as blocking access or issuing a warning would be used for it, Ananich said:

“Yes, as the Law on Mass Media is applied to all mass media available in our country. It concerns printed and electronic mass media. It is another thing, whether this sanction would be effective, and whether it would be necessary to find a concrete owner of an online media outlet, in case information there does not contradict the national interests of our country.

Each process needs a deep analysis of the legislation, and the established practice in applying the law also needs profound consideration and application. And I would like to note that that’s exactly the string point of the national legislation on mass media. Seeing destructive signs, the state delivers a verdict, and in the same way those concerned have a right to defend their interests in accordance with the law.”