Decision to invite BAJ representative to Vybor talk show changed
- 8.02.2010, 14:55
Authors of Vybor (Choice) talk show planned to dedicate the programme to Lukashenka’s controversial decree on the Internet.
Andrei Bastunets, deputy head of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), received a telephone call at the beginning of last week. An ONT TV channel representative invited him to Vybor talk show on regulation the national segment of the Internet on February 8. According to baj.by, the lawyer gave his consent.
Some days ago, the organizers phone d again, apologized and said they had to call off an invitation, because they had been told “not to touch this subject”.
According to the ONT schedule, Vybor show screens today at 9:005 p.m.
The BAJ press service hasn’t managed to phone the talk show authors to ask details of the theme and clear out what the chiefs didn’t like – a subject or a personality of the guest.
We remind that the scandalous decree on national segment of the Internet has been signed by Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The decree is to come into effect on July 1. The text of the draft decree appeared on the Internet in last December. It brought on criticism by the Belarusian media community and international human rights organizations, including OSCE. Independent experts have no doubts that Lukashenka’s decree is primarily aimed at blocking oppositional websites during election campaign.
One of many items that cause concern reads: “on a request by an Internet user, Internet service providers are to restrict access to websites considered extremist by the government.” The Belarusian authorities are known for accusing the opposition of “extremist activity”.
Besides, according to the new decree, providers will have to identify users. “Owners of places of collective use of the Internet or their representatives must identify Internet users in places of collective use of Internet services... Information about user devices, personal data on Internet users and information about the Internet services rendered must be submitted upon request of state bodies which carry out investigative activities, prosecution agencies, and preliminary investigation agencies,” the document says.