(WAN/IFEX) – In a 1 December 2002 letter to President Alexander Lukashenka, WAN and the World Editors Forum expressed their serious concern over the closure of “Myestnoye Vremya” newspaper. According to reports, on 27 November, the Information Ministry closed the independent “Myestnoye Vremya”, which was founded in October and had only published three issues, on […]
(WAN/IFEX) – In a 1 December 2002 letter to President Alexander Lukashenka, WAN and the World Editors Forum expressed their serious concern over the closure of “Myestnoye Vremya” newspaper.
According to reports, on 27 November, the Information Ministry closed the independent “Myestnoye Vremya”, which was founded in October and had only published three issues, on the grounds that the newspaper had not legally registered its rental space.
WAN and the World Editors Forum are concerned that the closure of “Myestnoye Vremya” was politically motivated after the newspaper announced its decision to establish regional correspondents ahead of next year’s local elections.
The closure of “Myestnoye Vremya” is the latest act of censorship in an ongoing government campaign to silence critical voices. In the past three months, three journalists have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences of hard-labour for “insulting” the president.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
– reminding him that the closure of “Myestnoye Vremya” constitutes a clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international agreements, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers”
– calling on him to ensure that “Myestnoye Vremya” is permitted to publish without state interference and that all those held in jail for exercising their right to freedom of expression are immediately released
Appeals To
His Excellency President Alexander Lukashenka
Republic of Belarus
c/o Permanent Representative to UN
E-mail: belarus@un.intPlease copy appeals to WAN.
