29 March 2024, Friday, 17:33
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Belarus To Set Up Commission To ‘Check’ Foreign Media

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Belarus To Set Up Commission To ‘Check’ Foreign Media

The authorities will have an additional opportunity to restrict media freedom.

The government has approved a procedure for conducting an “examination of foreign media products” for compliance with the requirements of the Belarusian legislation, writes government.by.

The products of foreign media, intended to be distributed at the territory of Belarus, will have to undergo the examination. It will be carried out by a special commission.

The basis for the examination will be the appeal of the media to the Ministry of Information with a request to allow distribution of information in Belarus. The examination will be carried out by the commission, which will be headed by the First Deputy Minister of Information Ministry Pavel Liohki.

The examination may include an analysis of the products of a foreign media to determine whether it contains materials promoting the use of drugs and psychotropes, toxic and other intoxicating substances, information about the methods of making explosive devices and explosives, information aimed at promoting war, extremism or containing calls for such activities.

Important to note, on April 19 the so-called “House of Representatives” adopted scandalous amendments to the law on the media, which finally destroy freedom of speech in Belarus. The amendments introduce the mandatory registration of news Internet resources. Owners and reporters of unregistered Internet resources are not recognized as journalists, are not entitled to receive and protect the source of information, and when appearing on mass actions are equaled to demonstrators.

Mandatory identification of people posting materials or comments on forums in Internet resources is also introduced. ” That is, the editors of the online media working in Belarus will be forced to hand over the data of their journalists and readers commenting on articles to the special services. It is possible to block social networks and restrict access to Internet resources out of court.

Experts called these amendments "a blow to independent journalism" and "new tightening of screws."

On the eve of the adoption of the amendments to the law on mass media in Belarus, the largest independent website Charter97.org was blocked.

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