Justice ministry issues warning to Belarusian Association of Journalists
The Ministry of Justice has issued an official warning to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) over the alleged violations of the organization's charter. The warning was signed on January 13 by deputy justice minister Aliaksandr Simanau, reports BAJ's press service.
The Justice Ministry says it is illegal to put PRESS on the organization's membership idenity cards, because it is not a media outlet. Officials maintain that the organization has thus violated the law on the media while those actions have led to the "unjustified use of the status of a media outlet by members of this organization…"
Besides, the Justice Ministry reckons that the operation of the Law Center for Media Defense at the Belarusian Association of Journalists "is not envisaged by the charter of the organization". "Besides, the web site contains information about the aims of the organization that do not match the aims mentioned in the charter", the Justice Ministry wrote.
The Justice Ministry has ordered to revoke all the membership cards (with PRESS on them) within one month and "to make sure that they cannot be used" and to correct other "violations" and "to submit evidence that the above mentioned reuirements have been met to the Justice Ministry".
BAJ's leadership said they woud definitely appeal this warning which they describe as groundless.
Photo: "Пульс"
The Justice Ministry says it is illegal to put PRESS on the organization's membership idenity cards, because it is not a media outlet. Officials maintain that the organization has thus violated the law on the media while those actions have led to the "unjustified use of the status of a media outlet by members of this organization…"
Besides, the Justice Ministry reckons that the operation of the Law Center for Media Defense at the Belarusian Association of Journalists "is not envisaged by the charter of the organization". "Besides, the web site contains information about the aims of the organization that do not match the aims mentioned in the charter", the Justice Ministry wrote.
The Justice Ministry has ordered to revoke all the membership cards (with PRESS on them) within one month and "to make sure that they cannot be used" and to correct other "violations" and "to submit evidence that the above mentioned reuirements have been met to the Justice Ministry".
BAJ's leadership said they woud definitely appeal this warning which they describe as groundless.
Photo: "Пульс"
