The IFJ is deeply concerned over the mass arrests of Belarus and foreign journalists during the 25 March 2000 demonstration in Minsk. According to IFJâs information, riot police units detained over thirty journalists during the opposition-staged festivities dedicated to the 82nd anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic in Minsk. Correspondents with Russian TV channels ORT, […]
The IFJ is deeply concerned over the mass arrests of Belarus and foreign journalists during the 25 March 2000 demonstration in Minsk.
According to IFJâs information, riot police units detained over thirty journalists during the opposition-staged festivities dedicated to the 82nd anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic in Minsk. Correspondents with Russian TV channels ORT, RTR and NTV, which are accredited in Belarus, were detained with particular brutality. Police damaged their equipment in order to prevent them from preparing their reports. The TV crews, as well as other journalists of foreign and Belarus mass media, were forcefully transported to an Interior Ministry troops’ station on Mayakovsky Street in Minsk.
None of the arrested journalists have received any explanations about the reasons for their detention. Some journalists were illegally searched. They were forbidden to inform their editorial offices, relatives or friends about their detention. Police attempted to handcuff them. Film shot by press photographers was exposed.
Interior Ministry employees have refused to provide information about the reasons of the detention of the journalists who are representatives of the IFJ-affiliated Belarusian Association of Journalists, who arrived to investigate the situation. Upon the arrival of police Lieutenant-Colonel Dmitry Parton, the Interior Ministryâs press-secretary, most of the journalists were released. Some of them were driven out of Minsk city limits and expelled from the city.
Article 39 of the Law On Press and Other Mass Media states that journalists have the right to be present during acts of nature, disasters and catastrophes, military operations (in the areas where the state of emergency is declared), during meetings and demonstrations or other publicly important events and to transmit information accordingly.
The following is a list of journalists detained in Minsk during the 25 March demonstration:
1 Alexander Kolpakov – TV Channel NTV (Russia)
2 Konstantin Morozov – TV Channel NTV (Russia)
3 Yelena Lukashevich – TV Channel RTR (Russia)
4 Sergey Pushkin – TV Channel RTR (Russia)
5 Dmitry Novozhilov – TV Channel ORT (Russia)
6 Dmitry Zavadsky – TV Channel ORT (Russia)
7 Marja Vernikovska – TV Polonia 1 (Poland)
8 Shimon Gelevsky – TV Polonia 1 (Poland)
9 Yegor Mayorchik – Radio Liberty
10 Mikhas Stelmach – Radio Liberty
11 Yury Drakokhurst – Radio Liberty
12 Algerd Nevyarousky – “Nasha Svaboda” newspaper
13 Larisa Klyuchnikova – ITAR-TASS (Russia)
14 Dmitry Yermak – “Belorusskaya Gazeta” newspaper
15 Polina Stepanenko – “Pravo Na Volyu” bulletin
16 Aleg Grudzilovich – “Nasha Svaboda” newspaper, board member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists
17 Irina Khalip – “Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta” newspaper
18 Alexander Tomkovich – “Svobodnye Novosti” newspaper, Deputy President of the Belarusian Association of Journalists
19 Valery Kalinovsky – “Zvyazda” newspaper
20 Tatyana Snitko – “Nasha Niva” newspaper
21 Marina Babkina – Associated Press
22 Alexander Tichonov – “Maladzevy Praspect” newspaper
23 Arsen Storulis – “Navinki” newspaper
24 Valentin Gernovich – “Rabochy” newspaper
25 Viktor Ivashkevich – “Rabochy” newspaper
26 Lyubov Lyuneva – Radio Liberty
27 Yury Dzedinkin – Press photographer
28 Vladimir Kormilkin – Press photographer
29 Viktor Drachev – Press photographer
30 Slavomir Adamovich – “Nasha Niva” newspaper
31 Leonid Kanfer – cameraman, TVC
32 Alexei Pokrovsky – cameraman, TVC
33 Vadim Kaznacheev – correspondent, “Nasha Svaboda” newspaper
34 Valery Schukin – correspondent, “Nardodnaya Volya” (detained in Vitebsk)
35 Alexei Schydlovsky – correspondent, “Nasha Svaboda” newspaper
Recommended Action
Send appeals to authorities:
– noting that in your view these detentions are attacks on press freedom in Belarus
– urging them to take measures aimed at an immediate investigation of the incident
– calling on them to hold those guilty responsible
Appeals To
APPEALS TO:
Alexander Lukashenko
President
Minsk
Fax: +375 17 22 60 610
Yury Sivakov
Minister of Internal Affairs
Minsk
Fax: + 375 17 22 61 247
Oleg Bozhelko
Prosecutor General
Minsk
Fax: + 375 17 22 34 358
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
