“Reporters Without Borders” Awarded Charter’97 Chief Editor

Natallia Radzina received the Press Freedom Award for her article “Stop kissing dictators' hands”.

Organization “Reporters Without Borders” in Austria honored two Belarusian journalists – Natallia Radzina, the chief editor of the charter97.org website, and Yahor Martsinovich, the deputy editor of the newspaper "Nasha Niva", – with the 2015 International Press Freedom Awards.

Natallia Radzina won the Press Freedom Award for her article “Stop kissing dictators' hands”, Yahor Martsinovich for the journalist investigation regarding the living conditions of Belarusian officials in the elite village Drazdy.

The Award jury, which is patronized by UNESCO, includes Freimut Duve, the first OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatovic, an OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media, Eva Nowotny, the President of the Austrian Commission for UNESCO, Wolfgang Petritsch, an Austrian Ambassador at the OECD in Paris, Albert Rohan, Former General Secretary of the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs, Rubina Moehring, the President of Reporters Without Borders Austria

At the ceremony, which took place in Vienna on the International Human Rights Day on December 10th, the OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic said:

“Martin Luther King said: “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. When hope for the changes fades away there always are people among us who fight for freedom and are eager to change the world. My 6 years’ experience as an OSCE Representative for Freedom of the Media tells me that we live in very difficult times; these are the times of serious challenges. Today, we need journalists more than ever - they monitor and unmask the authorities.

Winners of the Reporters Without Borders Prize are exactly the journalists who work in difficult and uncomfortable times. Natallia Radzina is my old friend and she really is a fearless defender of human rights and freedom of speech. I met her in 2010 and she told me that more attention should be paid to Belarus, that people there were experiencing hardships, they were suffering. Then there were events of December 19, 2010, when the Belarusian authorities brutally crushed a peaceful demonstration on the Election Day.

Belarus is very close, here in Europe, just as my native Bosnia and Herzegovina. We should constantly talk about problems in such countries, constantly mention names of people who suffer in prisons. Natallia and many others write about this. Despite the endured sufferings, prison, repressions, she has not stopped doing it. I can remember one more meeting with her – already in New-York, where she received a Committee to Protect Journalists' award – a lot of people then listened to her story about her native country and its people who need solidarity today. We shouldn’t forget about such countries, we should help the nations who suffer.”

The second prize winner Yahor Martsinovich works in the newspaper Nasha Niva. His articles have shown that there are journalists in Belarus who are critical of the authorities. Their work is extremely important,” – Mijatovic said.

Albert Rohan, the former General Secretary of the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs, noted that in 2015 Belarus took the 157th place among 180 countries in the report of the organization “Reporters without Borders” of and 195th place among 197 places in the ranking of freedom of speech, published by Freedom House.

“This means that Belarus is in the last place in terms of freedom of speech among European countries. At the same time the EU has suspended the sanctions against the Lukashenka’s regime due to its constructive role in the Ukrainian conflict. But these signs of “détente” should not deceive anyone, as before, there is an authoritarian government in Belarus, the media are under pressure, and the Internet is often blocked. Belarusian journalists deserve our recognition, because in spite of repressions, they continue to do their important work.”

Rubina Moehring, the President of Reporters without Borders, noted:

“Article 19 of the Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to freedom of speech, freedom of expression of opinion and to disperse and receive information through media. Lukashenka has long been referred to as Europe's last dictator. Once, in person, Ms. Radzina explained to me that because of the inability to speak critically many people in the country go into internal exile. Hearing this, we understand how well we live in our own countries. Therefore, we must support those who have the courage to express their opinion openly in such countries as Belarus. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without any distinction, political or other opinion, national or social origin.”

The articles of Belarusian journalists have been translated into German and read at the ceremony by a famous Austrian radio broadcaster Michael Kerbler. The ceremony featured performance of a Belarusian violinist Yulia Lebedenko.

The prize winners of the Press Freedom Award noted the importance of the fact that awarding this prize to independent journalists, Europe pays attention to Belarus.

“When I was serving time in the KGB prison in Minsk, I and other political prisoners were told that we were criminals that nobody in the West demanded our liberation, that everyone had recognized the legitimacy of the power of the dictator Lukashenka. When I got released, I found out it was a lie –the whole world was solidary with us. And today's award is a proof that Belarusians are not alone in their struggle for freedom. With your solidarity and support you are saving people's lives. And it's not just a buzzword. For example, I am largely obliged to Dunja Mijatovic, that I am free and alive. She is fighting for each jailed journalist. And thanks to “Reporters without Borders” that now, when European officials have once again started to experience illusions regarding the dictatorship in Belarus, you remain faithful to the principles. This gives us faith and strength,” – Natallia Radzina said.

“Every media goes its own way. Nasha Niva on principle works on the territory of Belarus, and therefore has to fulfil the requirements of all laws of the state, even the most absurd. We have no room for error. In fact, any claim by officials can result in a ban on the newspaper.

Most of the population of Belarus is hungry for change and consider themselves to be supporters of European values. Pro-democracy mass media, both charter97.org and Nasha Niva, have been able to beat the state-run media in the battle for the audience, despite the fact that the propaganda machine is much stronger and has a lot more resources. Why have that happened? Because the search for truth and the desire to make your country better help to do more than it is possible,” – Yahor Martsinovich said.