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Assembly of Pro-Democratic NGOs of Belarusin cooperation with the Human Rights Center "Viasna", International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Legal Transformation Centre and Belarusian Association of Journalists, cordially invite you to a Side Event during the OSCE Human Dimension Implementation Meeting 2018

The Belarusian Association of Journalists expresses words of solidarity with our prosecuted colleagues and calls for solidarity to the civil society, international organizations and everyone who shares the values of truthful and unbiased journalism.  

The Belarusian president has awarded Medal for Distinguished Service in Defending Public Order to investigators Alyaksandr Syamyonik and his colleague Ihar Makushenka.

Smalyavichy court has imposed a fine of 1,225 Belarusian rubles on journalist Volha Czajczyc for her contributing to a news story about local residents’ protest.

The list includes incidents which the Belarusian Association of Journalists regards as violations of journalists' rights, committed by representatives of the authorities.

Savetski district court of Minsk started a preliminary hearings on the suit filed by businessman Arkadz Izrailevich against the Novy Chas newspaper.  Arkadz Izrailevich did not show up in the courtroom. He is represented by barrister Alena Kalazayeva . The case is heard by Judge Veranika Abramovich.

On August 27, the Investigative Committee summoned by the suspects in the “BelTA case”.

August 23 Ales Lipai, 52, founder of the independent news agency BelaPAN, died in Minsk after a long struggle with disease. The funeral will take place on August 26 in Rudzensk. The Belarusian Association of Journalists expresses condolences to the family and colleagues.

A range of amendments was introduced into the Belarusian mass media legislation in June 2018. They tightened governmental control over the media field and the Internet in particular. However, it should be noted that even before that the state regulation in this field had been one of the strictest in the region. It is worth mentioning the restricted access to a popular Web-site charter97.org in Belarus, criminal cases, connected to the freedom of expression of opinions, and the reinforced pressure on freelance journalists for their cooperation with foreign media among the events and tendencies in the Belarusian mass media field in the first half-year 2018. There were continued arbitrary detentions of journalists and registered other obstacles to their activity. All that was taking place against the background of the commenced dialogue between Belarus and the EU and the statements about liberalization in the country, delivered by Belarusian authorities.

The Investigative Committee claims, 'after conducting a complex of urgent investigative and other procedural actions in the criminal case the decision was made to release Hanna Kaltyhina, Halina Ulasik, Hanna Yermachonak and other individuals involved'.

Tatsyana Karavyankova, a commentator on international affairs at news agency BelaPAN, was released from custody, BAJ press secretary Barys Haretski said on Facebook on Thursday evening.

On August 7, 2018, the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus disseminated information on the initiation of a criminal case under Part 2 of Art. 349 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (unauthorized access to computer information, committed with a different personal interest, which caused significant harm). Over the past two days, offices were searched by a number of Belarusian media: BelaPAN, Tut.by, the newspaper Kultura, Realt.by.

ARTICLE 19 condemns the recent wave of police raids on independent media outlets in Belarus, resulting in the detention of several journalists, at least seven of which remain in detention. We call on the government of Belarus to immediately and unconditionally release all detained journalists and to refrain from further harassment.

Міжнародная і Еўрапейская федэрацыі журналістаў (IFJ / EFJ) падтрымала заклікі сябра-арганізацыі Беларускай асацыяцыі журналістаў (БАЖ) неадкладна вызваліць групу журналістаў, затрыманую пасля рэйдаў Следчага камітэта.