Belarusian Association of Journalists forbidden to call itself “press”
6- 22.03.2010, 15:22
On March 22, the Supreme Court denied the complaint of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) about the warning of the Ministry of Justice.
We remind that the deputy minister of justice ordered to issue a warning to the BAJ on January 13. As “Salidarnasts” reports, the Ministry of Justice made several claims against the organization regarding the form of the member’s certificate, the status of the BAJ Center of Legal Assistance to Media, and information on the website of the Belarusian Association of Journalists. On February 11, the BAJ filed a complaint about the Ministry’s waning to the Supreme Court.
The hearing started on January 17. Andrei Bastunets, the BAJ deputy head, presented detailed argument against every count of the Ministry’s warning to defend the BAJ. However, a representative of the Ministry of Justice refused to accept all arguments of the plaintiff.
Prosecutor Skarabahataya said she found every count of the warning reasonable. According to the prosecutor, the organization has no right to print the word “press” on its certificates, and the Center of Legal Assistance to Media is a structural subdivision of the journalistic organization, which contradicts the status of the organization.
It should be noticed that the Ministry of Justice had obliged the BAJ to collect all certificates issued by the organization and eliminate other violations within a month.
On February 22, the Supreme Court took a decision and denied the BAJ complaint.
