Berlin makes objections against Decree on internet censorship in Belarus

German authorities are “seriously concerned” by a possible curbing freedom of mass media and freedom of information after Lukashenka’s Decree #60 coming into force.

Such an answer has been made by the German government to one of parts of the written inquiry of the Green Party concerning the situation in Belarus. An answer was published at the website of Bundestag on September 8, BelaPAN reports.

According to official Berlin, for the Belarusian regime the decree is “a broad basis for controlling unwelcomed information and those who use it.”

The authorities of Germany have joined the statement of the supreme representative of the European Union Catherine Ashton who had called Decree #60 “a serious step in a wrong direction”.

At the same time the government of Germany notes that they do not know how the decree would be applied, and it would follow its use.

German government has stated that Belarus still has “serious problems in the sphere of respect to human rights and rule of law.”

According to the government of Germany, the situation with independent press in Belarus “has deteriorated over the recent months.” They are “following with concern the development of this situation; and both in the framework of the bilateral relations and in the framework of the European Union regularly calls upon the Belarusian authorities to improve the situation with the freedom of speech and freedom of expression and conditions for work of Belarusian mass media.”

The German government has expressed concern over the facts that the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party and a human rights organization “Our spring” (Nasha Viasna) “are again denied registration upon formal criteria”, as it limits their possible activities. It is also worried by searches in the offices of “Tell the truth!” campaign.

Besides, the German authorities believe that expulsion of Tatsyana Shaputska from the Belarusian State University after her participation in the Civil Society Forum of the EU Eastern Partnership Policy contradicts principles of this policy.

The German authorities also do not exclude that cases against a businessman Mikalai Autukhovich, a member of the United Civil Party Andrei Bandarenka and an activist of “For Freedom” movement Ales Zarambyuk could be politically motivated.

The government has noted that cooperation between Belarus and the ODHR OSCE and Venetian Commission of the Council of Europe should be continued for further improvement of the election legislation of the country.