Archive

The general situation in the Belarusian mass media field was controversial in 2019. On the one hand, it was influenced by the overwhelming trend of reinforcing governmental control over the media space. On the other hand, due to hosting the 2nd European Games, the official authorities were pushed towards greater openness of the country. The complicated foreign policy and economic situation in Belarus, including negotiation processes with the European Union and the United States, the increasing size of external debt and pressure on the part of Russia as well as the elections to the Belarusian parliament, held on November 17, 2019, had their impact on the situation in the media field, too. 

As the media coverage of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak dominates the media all over the world, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has urged the media to report responsibly and avoid creating any unjustified panic that could worsen the situation.

Tatsiana Tkachova, World Press Photo nominee in the "portrait" category shares emotions with BAJ.BY, and tells what she finds really important and how to learn photography.

Belarusian photographer Tatsiana Tkachova has been named among the nominees for the 63rd World Press Photo award. Her photo story is nominated in the "Portrait" category. The winners will be announced on the evening of April 16 at the during the world premiere of the World Press Photo in Amsterdam.

Belarusian Association of Journalists registers yet another case of Belarusian MFA denying accreditation to a foreign media journalist.

A Sharkaushchyna court has considered the case against freelance journalist Zmitser Lupach on Monday.

Journalist Alina Skrabunova and cameraman Alyaksandr Sidareuski have appeared before court on February, 24.

Famous Belarusian journalists, writers, artists, photographers, bloggers and activists have signed an open letter in support of convicted anarchists Ivan Komar and Mikita Yemelyanau, who were recognized as political prisoners by human rights activists.

 Journalist Dziyana Seradziuk received a fine based on changed testimony of a riot policeman. Novy Chas journalist was punished with a huge fine for participation in the protests against "deep integration". That was the second trial for Dziyana Seradziuk. At the first trial, the court sent the report back to police for revision.

On January 23, BAJ presented the results of its Monitoring of Pro-Russian Propaganda and Pro-Integration Rhetoric on Belarus State TV.

Joint statement by human rights and other civil society organizations

Journalists of the largest independent news agency BelaPAN did not get accreditation to press scrum after the meeting with Latvia's Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš.

On January 9, Frunzenski distrcit court of Minsk on January 9 did not allow journalist Dzmitry Buyanau to be present during the hearing. Hanna Zhurauskaya, Assistant Court Chairman, told the guards not to let him in, as he was carrying a video camera.

Statement of the Steering Committee on the occasion of the Annual Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum on ensuring the rights of citizens and the threat of loss of sovereignty of the Republic of Belarus

Following the parliamentary elections in Belarus in November, the Representation of Sweden to the EU hosted a meeting on 21 November with experts from Belarus and representatives of the EU Member States and institutions. The aim was to get an update on the impressions of how the elections were implemented and the situation for journalists.