European experts call for radical changes in Belarus press laws
A critical report has been released by an international commission of human rights experts before the European Union is to decide on the temporarily suspended sanctions against Belarus high-ranking officials. The report has focused on the media situation in Belarus. International experts maintain that our country has again fallen short of international standards. The EU's bodies are soon expected to study this report.
The mission, comprising press freedom experts, visited Belarus in late September, with the experts having analyzed the contents of the law on the press and on tackling extremism as well as the lists of Belsayuzdruk -- the state-owned national press distribution monopoly. During the three days of the visit, they met representatives of both the state-run and non-state media and with government officials. The result of their visit was laid out in a 40-pages report.
According to Mark Gruber, a co-chairman of the International Federation of Journalists, this document calls for reforms that should change economic conditions for the operation of the independent media, access to information, accreditation proceedures and broadcasting licensing:
“I think we have said with this report as follows: we are not hear to criticize or complain; rather, we are here to make expertise and discuss how to change the situation for the better”.
Mark Gruber notes that the structures of the European Union can now use this report in order to develop the further policy towards Belarus. He says there has been no reaction yet to the document from the Belarusian authorities.
We asked if Mr Gruber expected problems with obtaining a Belarus visa in the future. He said: "This is hard to predict. One person was denied a visa even when we were travelling on this mission in September. Yet, we are not dangerous people. We simply came to talk, so I don't understand why there should be any problem".
Photo: baj.by
The mission, comprising press freedom experts, visited Belarus in late September, with the experts having analyzed the contents of the law on the press and on tackling extremism as well as the lists of Belsayuzdruk -- the state-owned national press distribution monopoly. During the three days of the visit, they met representatives of both the state-run and non-state media and with government officials. The result of their visit was laid out in a 40-pages report.
According to Mark Gruber, a co-chairman of the International Federation of Journalists, this document calls for reforms that should change economic conditions for the operation of the independent media, access to information, accreditation proceedures and broadcasting licensing:
“I think we have said with this report as follows: we are not hear to criticize or complain; rather, we are here to make expertise and discuss how to change the situation for the better”.
Mark Gruber notes that the structures of the European Union can now use this report in order to develop the further policy towards Belarus. He says there has been no reaction yet to the document from the Belarusian authorities.
We asked if Mr Gruber expected problems with obtaining a Belarus visa in the future. He said: "This is hard to predict. One person was denied a visa even when we were travelling on this mission in September. Yet, we are not dangerous people. We simply came to talk, so I don't understand why there should be any problem".
Photo: baj.by
