MFA gives no accreditation to Radio Racyja journalist

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus denied accreditation to Radio Racyja journalist Aliaksei Minchonak. It was the first time journalists of the radio addressed for accreditation to work in Belarus, and a denial was received at once.

The reason for the denial sets wondering. Officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry have stated that the journalist was ‘engaged in journalist activities for a foreign media without accreditation’.

‘The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has adopted an absurd decision. When searches were held in our office, commenting actions of the KGB and police officers, a representative of the ministry Maryia Vanshyna stated that we worked without accreditation. Now the authorities deny legalizing our activities themselves,’ Aliaksei Minchonak said.

On 27 March the KGB officers held searches in rented apartments of journalists contributing to the Polish Radio Racyja, the European Radio for Belarus and the Polish TV channel Belsat, and in private apartments of independent journalists from Homel, Vitsebsk, Brest, Hrodna, Babruisk and other cities. Office equipment and different information carriers were confiscated.