Internet can’t be submitted

• 12.12.2007, 13:08

The “house of representatives” adopted a draft law “On Information, Informatisation and Protection of Information” in the first reading on Wednesday.

Mikalai Pantyalei, minister of communication and information, stressed introducing the draft law that it doesn’t touch work of media, including electronic media, and declared that “no rules of conduct on the internet are introduced.”

The minister also added that the law “On Information, Informatisation and Protection of Information” will “regulate the sphere of information and issues of information protection.”

Mikhail Pastukhou, head of the Center of Legal Protection of Journalists of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, thinks the section of the document on the information protection is the most dangerous part. “I think the main purpose of the law is to organise a wide system of information “protection” measures, in other words to restrict its free spreading. According to the draft, only nice-to-know information can have free access. More and more new bans are introduced for distributing and using of information, and it causes deep concern,” the BAJ lawyer noted.

“Our principal position remains the same – the draft law restricts constitutional right of people to receive, store and impart information,” M. Pastukhou said.