Opposition web sites defiant over new media law
Nasha Niva newspaper calls on readers to demand revision of the new media law. Radio Svaboda is not going to register its web site, while e-newspaper Ezhednevnik hopes to get registered.
Alena Mironava, the editor-in-chief of Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarusi, says the issue of the site registration is not on agenda, because lawmakers are yet to define the difference between an electronic version of newspapers and a web site. However, if one has to turn the web site into a complete copy of the printed version of her newspaper, it will be a huge setback, Alena Mironava thinks.
“It will be definitely a huge step backward: no news in a real-time mode; no video; no updates”.
Mikhail Pastukhov, a prominent lawyer with the Belarusian Association of Journalists, believes that independent media could expect any pressure after the media law is enacted. For instance, if a web site is denied registration, it could be even blocked.
However, some of the opposition sites that cover political and economic developments are not even going to apply for registration, the European Radio for Belarus has learned. At the same time, Siarhej Satsuk, the editor-in-chief of Ezhednevnik (Belarus’s first electronic newspaper), says they will apply for registration and hope for a positive outcome.
“Naturally, we are going to get registered and we hope to get registered, because we don’t take part in the political struggle. We don’t see it makes sense for the authorities to persecute us and deny registration. The registration will begin approximately in January 2009”, Siarhej Satsuk said.
Aliaksandr Lukashuk, director of the Belarusian service of Radio Liberty, is not worried about his station and says they will not register their web site.
“The Belarusian laws apply to us only in regard with the operation of our journalists on the territory of Belarus. As for our product, it is the central editorial office that is responsible. Radio Liberty, as a legal entity, is based in Washington, DC. Therefore, we will not make any official steps to seek registration of our web site in Belarus”.
Nasha Niva newspaper has decided to turn to readers for help. Editor-in-chief Andrej Skurko hopes it will be possible to revise the new media law.
“I think we will be solving our problems step by step. Firs of all, we are calling on our readers to send letters to the House of Representatives, protesting and demanding to revise this legislation”.
Possibly, video and sound will not be regarded as a new content of the newspaper to require registration. However, it is still hard to say how the new media law will be implemented. After the law comes into force, the government is expected to issue an edict to define in detail all the issues associated with the registration of dissemination of information in the internet.
Picture from http://www.belgazeta.by/
