31 May 1999

Alert

RSF protests continued harassment of newspaper


Incident details

harassed


(RSF/IFEX) - RSF is protesting the harassment of the three-times-weekly
"Naviny", in Minsk (central Belarus). On 27 May 1999, the three-times-weekly
"Naviny", an opposition newspaper, received a "warning" from the state
council on the press - its second since the beginning of the year - which
threatens it with closure under Belarussian law. This warning follows the 16
May publication of an article by Alexandre Dubravin in which the journalist
vigorously criticised accusations leveled by a group of civil servants from
the police department against Uri Zaharenko, the former interior minister
and current opposition leader, who mysteriously disappeared in Minsk on 7
May.





**Updates IFEX alerts of 27 May, 21 May, 14 May, 13 May, 19 April, 16 March
and 18 February 1999**

RSF recalls that in February 1999, "Naviny" and five other opposition
newspapers, "Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta", "Narodnaya Volya", "Belorusskaya
Gazeta", "Belorussky Rynok" and "Imya", had received "warnings" for having
announced the holding of a presidential election in May, organised by the
opposition and not recognised by authorities. Their appeal was rejected by
Belarus' Supreme Court on 13 May. In 1998, the state committee on the press
granted itself the right to suspend publications for three months without
explanation. The latest "warning" against "Naviny" may signal its impending
closure.

Recommended Action


Send appeals to the justice minister:
  • protesting the threats of closure against "Naviny"
  • asking him to respect his responsibilities towards press freedom,
    notably
    under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political
    Rights, which guarantees freedom of expression and information throughout
    the world, and to which Belarus is a signatory




    Appeals To



    Mr. Voronpsov Guenady
    Minister of Justice
    Belarus
    Fax: +375 172 20 97 55







    Please copy appeals to the source if possible.





    Source:

    Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
    47, rue Vivienne
    75002 Paris
    France
    rsf (@) rsf.org
    Phone: +33 1 44 83 84 84
    Fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51
    @rsf_rwb
     

    Stay on top of free expression news.

    Sign up to receive the weekly IFEX Communiqué.


    • More on this case

    Independent newspaper receives second warning 27 May 1999 ARTICLE 19 shocked by court decision against newspapers 21 May 1999 Claims of six independent newspapers rejected 14 May 1999 CPJ concerned about court decision 13 May 1999 World press group condemns Belarus threats 19 April 1999 CPJ condemns threats against independent newspapers 16 March 1999 Samoa PM claims opposition leader using news "ban" to score points 16 March 1999 Newspapers threatened 18 February 1999

    Belarus

    Journalist and political activist Dimitry Bondarenko released 19 April 2012 Serious concern over health of political prisoner 12 April 2012 Writer loses appeal, sentenced to 4 years in labour camp 6 March 2012 Independent reporter imprisoned 10 January 2012 Authorities tighten grip on the Internet 6 January 2012 See all alerts: Belarus


     
    IFEX is a global network of committed organisations working to defend and promote free expression.
    Permission is granted for material on this website to be reproduced or republished in whole or in part provided the source member and/or IFEX is cited with a link to the original item.