For our Freedom and yours!

On November 5 journalists all over the world will hold solidarity actions under a common title “Stand Up for Journalism!” Independent Belarusian journalists have supported the protest.

The action has been initiated by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The Stand Up for Journalism campaign was successfully carried out by the IFJ and its member organisations last year. Then the Belarusian Association of Journalists took part in the world campaign too.

The campaign has become the day of common actions of journalists throughout Europe. This year it is planned to mark this day worldwide.

Journalists will hold protest actions, parties, demonstrations and union rallies at national and local level to highlight key areas of concern and campaigns for IFJ affiliates including work -demands for decent salaries and employment rights; campaigns for quality, independent and ethical journalism; and international solidarity actions against impunity for killers of journalists. Every union, every branch and every workplace will be encouraged to organise an event linking journalists across the globe.

The Belarusian Association of Journalists has supported the worldwide campaign Stand Up for Journalism, and in this connection has made a statement, noting the hard situation with freedom of expression in Belarus, where almost all independent newspapers have been closed over the years of Lukashenka’s rule; there is no independent TV channel, journalists were abducted and killed.

“Even a single free person in the country, even a single independent newspaper makes the authorities nervous. It makes them try every trick for their Kingdom of Crooked Mirrors, their prosperity, their “state for the people” where people receive only a glass of vodka, pork rinds and a TV set with one and the same politician, not to be destroyed.

Journalists are influenced in different ways. Some are simply baited, and those who cannot be bribed are to be taken in hand: they are kept on a short leash, a choke-chain collar is put on them, and a current of electricity which is new and new laws are passed through it,” the address reads.

It is noted in the statement that in this situation every Belarusian journalist faces a choice.

“willing or not, a journalist has to make a choice between the reality of “Dazhynki” and “White Rus” meetings and the reality of single mothers, Chernobyl liquidators, orphans, the reality of dying villages and empty ice palaces in the towns with the population of a few dozen thousands people. Should they write about our “prosperity”, about “amazing state economy” which “does not fear” the global financial crisis, about “stars and starlets”, and to pretend that corruption, nepotism and crime do not exist in our country?

That’s the aim of journalism to show what is going on in the society in reality, how the laws work in reality, what steps are done or not done by the authorities,” the statement reads.

The Belarusian journalists note that the freedom of speech is backbone of a normal society’s life.

“The profession of a journalist is generally believed to be dangerous. It’s not because we are often “pressurized”, we are often threatened, and some are found in their apartments or not found at all. Journalism is dangerous for those who have something to hide and something to fear; for those who are terribly scared by the voice of a free word.

We persist in our opinion: free journalism is the backbone of a normal society’s life. The voice of everyone could be and should be heard. We all stand up for journalism! Not for the occupation, but for the freedom to speak and to be heard.

Today, like always, we need support of every of our readers. Many independent newspapers cannot be found in subscription catalogues for the next year. They won’t be found in newspaper kiosks either. Look for our publications at independent vendors! Read our news at news websites! Stay with us! Only together we would be able to defend freedom of expression!” independent Belarusian journalists urge.