The Human Rights Center “Viasna”

08.07.2015 BAJ Protest against the Practice of Fining Journalists for Work

Belarusian Association of Journalists strongly protests against the increasing administrative prosecution of freelance journalists whose materials are published in foreign mass media.

04.07.2015 Brest: freelance journalist Ales Liauchuk sentenced to a fine

Ales Liauchuk was charged with being involved in producing an interview with a player of Brest soccer club “Dynamo” Raman Vasiliuk, which had been broadcast at the satellite TV channel “Belsat”.

01.07.2015 Valiantsin Stefanovich: Ministry of Information acting like "Ministry of Truth"

As stated by the Information Minister Liliya Ananich, the Ministry of Information tries to teach the owners of Internet resources responsibility in the information space and attentively considers each application of citizens about the work of the media.

30.06.2015 Persecution of freelance journalists – $7,067 for state budget

Since the beginning of 2015, there were 21 administrative cases against freelance journalists who faced charges under Part. 2, Art. 22.9 of the Administrative Code – “Illegal production and (or) distribution of media products.” In each case, there was a court decision to impose a fine of 3.6 to 9 mln rubles.

29.06.2015 Journalist in Mahilioŭ complains to UN Human Rights Committee

“On June 28, I sent my complaint together with appendices – more than 30 pages in total. Human rights defenders Barys Bukhel and Leanid Sudalenka helped me prepare it, I am very grateful for that,” says Ales Burakou, a freelance journalist in Mahilioŭ.

25.06.2015 Freelance journalists in Hlybokaje accused of violating mass media law

Police have opened a new case for the cooperation with foreign media without accreditation. On June 25, police in Hlybokaje summoned independent journalists Tatsiana Smotkina and Dzmitry Lupach to question them about publications on the websites of Euroradio Radio Racyja.

18.06.2015 Freelance journalist in Homieĺ appeals fine

On June 18, journalist Natallia Kryvashei, who received the maximum possible penalty (a fine of 50 basic units, or 9 mln rubles), filed an appeal against the ruling of the court of Centralny district. The freelance journalist does not agree with the punishment for “illegal production of media products” without accreditation for the TV channel Belsat.

12.06.2015 Homieĺ journalists challenge Buda-Kašaliova fines

June 12, freelance journalists from Homieĺ Natallia Kryvasheyeva and Kanstantsin Zhukouski filed an appeal to Homieĺ Regional Court, challenging the verdicts of Buda-Kašaliova District Court by which they had been sentenced to large fines for cooperation with the Polish satellite TV channel “Belsat”.

12.06.2015 Journalist of Belarusian Radio “Racyja” banned entry to Belarus

Radoslav Dombrowski intended to visit Bielavieža Forest on June 12 in the format of the visa-free regime with the first tour group from Poland.

12.06.2015 Brest freelance journalist appealing fined of 60 basic units

Freelance journalist Alina Litvinchuk has filed an appeal to the the Brest Regional Court to challenge the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Brest which had punished her with a large fine.

11.06.2015 Journalists detained in a polyclinic

June 10, two journalists, BAJ members Arkadz Nestsiarenka and Nastassia Khralovich were detained in a polyclinic where they were taking interviews from old people queuing up for medical services.

10.06.2015 Record fine for freedom of expression

Homieĺ journalist Natallia Kryvashei has been sentenced to a fine of 9 mln Belarusian rubles for shooting in a video, shown at the satellite TV channel “BelSat”.

09.06.2015 Homieĺ: freelance journalist gets 6th fine this year

June 9, Tsentralny District Court of Homieĺ considered a report of administrative violation, drawn up against freelance journalist Kanstantsin Zhukouski,and sentenced him to a fine of 30 basic units.

08.06.2015 Ivacevičy District Prosecutor's Office warns freelance journalist

In the morning on June 8 Pavel Dailid (pictured) was summoned to the district prosecutor's office, where he was handed the text of an official warning "about the inadmissibility of offenses".