OSCE Criticizes Amendments To Law On Mass Media In Belarus

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir came out with a statement.

OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Harlem Désir expressed concern following the adoption of legislative amendments in Belarus which further restrict media activities in the country, the OSCE official website informs.

“The adoption of these amendments sends a worrying signal about media freedom and pluralism - online and offline - in Belarus. I call on the Belarusian authorities to carefully review the law and bring it in line with international standards and OSCE commitments on freedom of expression and freedom of the media, " - he added.

The OSCE condemned the provisions of the draft bill related to the limitation of establishing media outlets by foreigners. Additionally, the amendments to the law provide the Ministry of Information with strict control over all online resources.

“No Ministry should have the exclusive power to block access to any online resource without a court decision. Content removal should require judicial oversight,” - Désir noted.

The owners of online resources are now obliged to “analyse” all content as “the law demands that they are responsible for preventing dissemination of untruthful information that may harm State or public interest, or defame individuals or legal entities. They are also liable if their resources are used to disseminate information or comments by internet users who have not gone through prior identification, as defined by the State.”

“Many of the provisions are excessive and disproportionate and could result in the curtailing of freedom of expression, including the right of citizens to remain anonymous online,” - Désir said.

The Representative also noted that the law continues to forbid citizens from contributing to foreign media without special accreditation, despite calls by the Office of the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media to discontinue this practice.

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 mandatory registration of news Internet resources. Owners and reporters of unregistered Internet resources are not recognized as journalists, do not have the right to receive and protect the source of information, and when appearing at mass actions are equated to demonstrators.

A mandatory identification of persons posting materials or comments on forums, in Internet resources is introduced. That is, editors of the Internet media working in Belarus will be forced to hand over to the special services the data of their journalists and readers commenting on the article. 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 “a new twist on the nut”.

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