In the past two years, the Belarusian authorities have filed a record number of criminal charges against journalists and bloggers, searched the offices of several news organisations, and generally tightened restrictions on speech.
The journalists are accused of illegally obtaining information from the state news agency, a criminal offence carrying punishments of up to two years in prison.
Halko was found guilty of using force against a police officer when the police raided his home in November 2017; he says the charge was politically motivated.
Draft legislation under consideration will end anonymous posting, require website owners to moderate user comments and allow for social media networks to be blocked if they are considered to have violated the new rules.
The use of fines to target independent journalists is an increasing trend in Belarus, growing from ten fines imposed in 2016, to 69 in 2017, to 48 by mid-May 2018.
Despite signs in 2016 that Belarus might be easing up on harassing journalists, 2017 saw a worsening of the media freedom climate.
“Journalists covering protests are not committing a crime; they are doing their jobs,” said CPJ. “Belarusian authorities should drop the absurd charges against Ales Levchuk, Milana Kharitonova, and all journalists who have been detained for their work, and should cease trying to intimidate the news media.”
Partners of the Council of Europe Platform for the Promotion of Journalism and the Protection of Journalists are deeply concerned by the aggravating current situation in Belarus regarding the mass detention of journalists.
In Belarus, the detention of journalists for covering massive protests against the unemployment tax is taking place at a disproportionate level.
48 organisations from 24 countries have condemned the continuing wave of detentions and harassment of peaceful protesters, journalists, human rights defenders, civil society activists, anarchists and opposition party members in Belarus.
The crackdown on the media in Belarus grew further today as journalists Kastus Zhukouski and Andrey Tolchyn were detained in Dobrush while a freelance reporter working for Belsat Viktar Yarashuk was detained in Pinsk.
Protests are taking place in Babruysk, Orsha and Rahachou. If you haven’t heard about it, Belarus’s plan against journalists covering these protests is going just according to plan.
Blogger Aleksandr Lapshin should not be jailed for expressing his opinions or traveling to a disputed region, said CPJ, while calling for his release.
Blogger Aleksandr Lapshin should not be jailed for expressing his opinions or traveling to a disputed region, said CPJ, while calling for his release.