Why does lord Bell refuse to comment on events that took place on March 25 and 27?
Human rights defenders are joking when they say that searches in offices of journalists and the dispersal of the demonstration on March 25 were “the results of the work of lord Bell in action”, the European Union calls the events “a display of dictatorship” while senator Charhinets says they were “a journalists’ dictatorship of the rules of the game”. At the same time, lord Bell, who has recently been announced responsible for the foreign image of Belarus, suddenly disappeared from his office after having given the comment he had promised to ERB.
According to the estimates of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, 30 Belarusian journalists have been searched since March 27. People in the uniform did not accuse them of anything; however, all search warrants were signed by the deputy head of the Public Prosecutor of Minsk A.K.Stuk. Moreover, all “the investigative actions” were caused by a case of the “Third Way” initiative started three years before.
Let us remind you that it is the case started against three young people (who are now abroad) for having uploaded flash cartoons the hero of which resembled the leader of the state in the web. It is the only political case that has not been closed yet.
Searches were conducted all over Belarus. Representatives of special police troops confiscated PCs and recorders. Dozens of journalists were interrogated by KGB.
All this coincided with lord Bell’s deadline of presenting documents “to be approved” by his Belarusian clients.
Meanwhile, human rights defenders say that the searches were “the results of the work of lord Bell in action”.
A political scientist Yury Chavusau is sure that even western European image-makers will find it difficult to correct the negative image created by the Belarusian authorities in editorials of European and world mass media:
Chavusau: The authorities simply used the existing situation of tension in the relations with the West and attacked the mass media inspired and initiated by European structures. That is why it will be a terrible blow for the image of Belarus.
ERB: Do we have to expect a new wave of arrests and searches in the flats and offices of journalists?
Chavusau: The Belarusian authorities will struggle with the independent Belarusian press regardless of any “slackening of tension”. Thus, Alyaksandr Ryhoravich already attacked mass media once. It led to political repressions.
By the way, the two-week term of creating a plan of improving the image of our country the President asked an aged British image-maker for ends on April 2. ERB made a phone call to the office of lord Bell but we were informed that the person responsible for the image of Belarus was unavailable and would be able to answer our questions two days later:
“He is not in the office right now. It will be possible to contact him in two days…”
According to a political observer Raman Yakauleuski, KGB members and the police did not visit occasional journalists – they came to those who had made attempts to get an official permission to work as journalists:
“Many of my colleagues say that those were journalists who had sent appeals for accreditation to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affaires. It was done to be able to wok legally and officially. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused them accreditation and sent the list of journalists to KGB. Then the notorious comments of a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeared – he said that the people were not journalists but just some private persons…”
It seems especially surprising to the Old World after the recent statements about establishment of closer relations with Europe:
“The reaction can be compared to a shock! The outrage to all and to everything demonstrated by the Belarusian authorities in the journalists’ case will not only affect the image of Belarus in a negative way, it will also affect the relations of our country with the European Union and the USA”.
ERB decided to find out the opinion of deputies about the events of March 27. Senator Mikalai Charninets claims that it is the fault of journalists who “did not want to play according to the rules”:
“Many journalists overstep the limits of permissibility. They are trying to impose their laws and rules in our country”.
The only thing we would like to add is that searches were conduct in the flats of journalists who were Belarusian citizens…
I’d also like to note that the International Federation of Journalists, an international organization “Reporters without Borders” and the administration of the European Union and the USA called the actions of the authorities “a display of dictatorship” and expressed their protest.
Photo by guardian.co.uk
Let us remind you that it is the case started against three young people (who are now abroad) for having uploaded flash cartoons the hero of which resembled the leader of the state in the web. It is the only political case that has not been closed yet.
Searches were conducted all over Belarus. Representatives of special police troops confiscated PCs and recorders. Dozens of journalists were interrogated by KGB.
All this coincided with lord Bell’s deadline of presenting documents “to be approved” by his Belarusian clients.
Meanwhile, human rights defenders say that the searches were “the results of the work of lord Bell in action”.
A political scientist Yury Chavusau is sure that even western European image-makers will find it difficult to correct the negative image created by the Belarusian authorities in editorials of European and world mass media:
Chavusau: The authorities simply used the existing situation of tension in the relations with the West and attacked the mass media inspired and initiated by European structures. That is why it will be a terrible blow for the image of Belarus.
ERB: Do we have to expect a new wave of arrests and searches in the flats and offices of journalists?
Chavusau: The Belarusian authorities will struggle with the independent Belarusian press regardless of any “slackening of tension”. Thus, Alyaksandr Ryhoravich already attacked mass media once. It led to political repressions.
By the way, the two-week term of creating a plan of improving the image of our country the President asked an aged British image-maker for ends on April 2. ERB made a phone call to the office of lord Bell but we were informed that the person responsible for the image of Belarus was unavailable and would be able to answer our questions two days later:
“He is not in the office right now. It will be possible to contact him in two days…”
According to a political observer Raman Yakauleuski, KGB members and the police did not visit occasional journalists – they came to those who had made attempts to get an official permission to work as journalists:
“Many of my colleagues say that those were journalists who had sent appeals for accreditation to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affaires. It was done to be able to wok legally and officially. However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs refused them accreditation and sent the list of journalists to KGB. Then the notorious comments of a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appeared – he said that the people were not journalists but just some private persons…”
It seems especially surprising to the Old World after the recent statements about establishment of closer relations with Europe:
“The reaction can be compared to a shock! The outrage to all and to everything demonstrated by the Belarusian authorities in the journalists’ case will not only affect the image of Belarus in a negative way, it will also affect the relations of our country with the European Union and the USA”.
ERB decided to find out the opinion of deputies about the events of March 27. Senator Mikalai Charninets claims that it is the fault of journalists who “did not want to play according to the rules”:
“Many journalists overstep the limits of permissibility. They are trying to impose their laws and rules in our country”.
The only thing we would like to add is that searches were conduct in the flats of journalists who were Belarusian citizens…
I’d also like to note that the International Federation of Journalists, an international organization “Reporters without Borders” and the administration of the European Union and the USA called the actions of the authorities “a display of dictatorship” and expressed their protest.
Photo by guardian.co.uk
