German Journalists Association: If police beat people, this must be filmed

Hindering work of journalists at peaceful demonstrations in Belarus is unlawful.

The new order of journalistic activity during mass street events was worked out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Journalists. The instruction is based on the experience of German police, deputy interior minister of Belarus Yauheny Paludzen told.

According to him, the press in Germany is forbidden to take pictures and film faces of policemen and demonstrators. Only wide shots are allowed. Belarusian officials are going to adopt this experience.

Euroradio asked how German journalists work at street events. The press service of the German Journalists Association said the law forbids shooting only one or two persons, as this violates their privacy. Such actions can be fined.

By the way, police rarely give warning in such cases. It’s rather demonstrators who give warnings. So, photo correspondents and cameramen try to have at least five persons in shot.

But when clashes happen, these rules are not observed.

“If police beat people at demonstrations, the duty of a journalist is to record this,” the press service of the German Journalists Association said.

As www.charter97.org has earlier reported, during the disband of the peaceful rally in Minsk on October 16 riot militiamen thwarted work of journalists, which was the third time in this month.

While during the rallies on September 9 and 16 each journalist was accompanied by 2-3 persons, but this time mass media journalists were encircled by 5 riot militiamen, who seized cameras and damaged equipment.

If we managed to make some photos and video footage of the outrage during dispersals on September 9 and 16, this time journalists were almost unable to film anything!

“It is a direct violation of Article 34 of the Law on Mass Media, which gives journalists a right to be present in the places of rallies and demonstrations, in the places where socially important events take place. It is a direct prohibition to practice. I recall the words of Interior Affairs Minister of Belarus Anatol Kulyashou who said not long ago, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of creation of the Information and PR department, that the Interior Affairs Ministry does not have closed topics and closed doors for journalists. Now he should be demanded an answer who had made an order to prevent journalists from working on October 16, and who executed that order,” stated the head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhana Litvina in an interview to www.charter97.org.