Repeated persecutions of journalists in Belarus must stop, OSCE Representative says
VIENNA, 12 December 2014 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today denounced the continued oppression of free media in Belarus, following recent and repeated persecutions of journalists and members of the independent Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ).
On 11 December a court in the town of Slonim fined Ales Zalevski, a journalist with Polish-based Belsat TV, for working without accreditation. On 2 December a district court in Grodno imposed a fine on freelance journalist Andrey Meleshko for working with Polish-based Radio Raciya without accreditation. Earlier this year both Zalevski and Meleshko received administrative penalties on the same charges.
“These undue restrictions stifle free expression and free media. Mandatory accreditation requirements for journalists should be reformed as they hinder journalists from doing their job,” Mijatović wrote in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Vladimir Makei, noting that law enforcement officials have brought similar charges against another freelance journalist, Tamara Shchepetkina.
Mijatović also said that recent fines handed down to several BAJ members in Grodno and Vitebsk on charges of violation of the regulations on public gatherings is yet another sign of the deteriorating media freedom situation in Belarus.
The Representative noted that on 28 November and 1 December three freelance journalists and BAJ members, Elena Stepanova, Dmitriy Kazakevich and Constantine Mordvitsev, were fined for taking a group photo with an image of birds flying out of cages as a setting. The photo was a symbolic gesture to join an international campaign in support of journalists prosecuted for their professional activities.
On 25 November, Mikhail Karnevich and Vladimir Khilmanovich, both BAJ members, were fined for participating in a commemorative public event in Svisloch village in Grodno Region. Reportedly, Karnevich was on a professional assignment covering the event for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (Belarus Service).
“In the past the authorities have taken some positive steps in cooperation with my office,” Mijatović said. “I value the constructive dialogue with the authorities which I hope will continue, but these recent cases clearly show that there is an urgent need to take steps to revert the current trend.”
The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media observes media developments in all 57 OSCE participating States. She provides early warning on violations of freedom of expression and media freedom and promotes full compliance with OSCE media freedom commitments. Learn more at www.osce.org/fom, Twitter: @OSCE_RFoM and on www.facebook.com/osce.rfom.