Human rights activists don’t see grounds for lifting sanctions on Lukashenka

Belarus still fails to observe international standards in mass media sector.

The report of the group of international press freedom and media support organisations, visited Belarus on September 20–24 says it, BelaPAN informs.

The report was made for the EU institutions ahead of consideration an issue on partially suspended sanctions on Belarusian officials.

The experts say the authorities “make use of a number of repressive provisions that can be used to silence critical, oppositional or alternative voices”.

Access to information is restricted for non-state mass media, so “the public at large remains deprived of knowledge about important societal matters and decisions of the authorities and administrative bodies”.

“The media in Belarus cannot under the present circumstances function fully in accordance with their role as “a watchdog of government in all its forms,” the report says. The experts think the promises of the Belarusian to take into account the results of the round table discussions on the situation around the media are too early.

The report recommends reforming the Law on Mass Media and the Law on Counteraction to Extremism to bring it into line with Belarus’s international human rights obligations for press freedom and freedom of expression and taking concrete steps to secure the rights of journalists.

The experts say Belarus should cooperate with a full and transparent investigation into the circumstances of ORT TV cameraman Zmitser Zavadski’s disappearance, as well as into Veranika Charkasava’s murder.

The report recommends that the state should secure the non-state media with “the right and possibility to operate and develop under fair and equal economic conditions, including the right to be distributed without restriction or discrimination “.

“Authorities should not consider the mere existence of non-state media as a sign of an economic level-playing field between non-state and state media,” the human rights defenders stress.

They think clear rules and conditions for accreditation of journalists should be established. Journalists should not be obstructed from reporting on public events and demonstrations.

“The Belarusian authorities should engage in a transparent and honest dialogue with the state and non-state media and civil society on media policy and related legislation, with a view to undertaking a broad reform process aimed at bringing media policy into line with international standards,” it is said in the report.