29.09.2009 Reporters Without Borders call on Belarusian authorities to stop obstructing work of journalists

Four days after a joint international press freedom mission to Belarus, Reporters Without Borders today called on the Belarusian government to stop obstructing the work of journalists working for foreign news media.

The press freedom organisation has signed a statement issued by the mission at the end of its five-day visit noting that: “Accreditation of journalists working for Belarus or foreign media, as well as the registration of offices of media, are restricted by non-transparent and discriminatory decisions of the authorities.”

29.09.2009 Masty and Shchuchyn district authorities ban opposition meetings

Masty and Shchuchyn district authorities have imposed another ban on holding local constituent assemblies of the Belarusian European Forum, due on 14 November in Minsk, saying that the applicants violated the provisions of the Law on Mass Actions, namely they failed to present documents certifying the organizers’ legal responsibility for the meetings. According to Ales Zarembiuk, For Freedom member and one of the applicants, the decision had different underlying reasons: ‘After all the attempts of obtaining legal permission to hold a meeting, it becomes clear that the authorities do not want the Forum to be known among the general public.’