Interior Ministry head: There were no journalists at opposition rallies
- 22.03.2010, 11:44
News photographers of Reuters, Radio Svaboda, Nasha Niva, charter97.org, Associated Press are not considered journalists by the Interior Minister.
Anatoly Kulyashou does not see any necessity to meet with representatives of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, as "interaction of law enforcement officials and journalists is regulated by the law of the Republic of Belarus "On Mass Media".
Об этом, как передает пресс-служба БАЖ, говорится в ответе на февральское обращение председателя ОО «Белорусская ассоциация журналистов» Жанны Литвиной к Анатолию Кулешову.
It is stated in the answer to the address of the chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhana Litvina to Anatoly Kulyashou written in February, the press-service of the BAJ reports.
In the address the chairperson of the BAJ reminded the minister about his promise to find out why
the public association hadn't recieved an answer to its previous letter concerning violations of journalists' rights by unkonwn people in mufti during street rallies in autumn 2009.
Litvina offered to send once again the photographs of people who hindered the work of journalists, and to meet personally to have a possibilty to discuss counteraction of the Interior Ministry and journalists.
In his letter of 16.10.2010 Anatoly Kulyashou states that the first of the BAJ "was considered in accordance with an approved procedure", and an answer to it was sent to back on October 9, 2009 (Nothing is said about the contents of the answer which for some reason hadn't been recieved by the BAJ).
The minister has also stated that holding street rallies on October Square is banned, and policemen of the Main directorate of Interior Affairs of Minsk city executive committee who were sent to secure order "in all the cases under consideration acted in keeping with regulatory legal acts of the Republic of Belarus".
"As policemen hadn't been given special orders to create obstacles for professional activities of journalists, it is impossible to give information about the persons who had given such orders," the letter reads.
Besides, according Kulyashou's observations, at the abovementioned events "there were no citizens who had marked themselves as being journalists". Persons who "outlined themseves as journalists" were absent at pictures attached to the previous address of the BAJ to the minister.
As for explanations to the policemen the law on mass media, "such work is done regularly", and primarily by those policemen who work at mass rallies, the minister said.
"As it follows from the letter, the Interior Ministry is not going to provide information about persons who gave orders and executed orders, that caused violations of journalists' rights," the deputy chairman of the BAJ, a lawyer Andrei Bastunets comments on the answer of Anatoly Kulyashou. "The minister makes a reference to the fact that journalists hadn't had personal service certificates mass media journalists, and recalls the form of a service certificate approved by Information Ministry.
I want to say that this approved service certificate is in a form of a booklet which cannot be hung on a jacket or shirt, but could be presented when required. Besides, photo cameras and video cameras vividly proved that people were engaged in journalistic activities. Moreover, people tried to show their documents to policemen who were hindering their work...
As for the denial to meet, there is nothing to comment. It shows the readiness of the interior affairs agencies to contact the civil society and mass media".
We remind that the minister of the Interior Affairs Anatoly Kulyashou said at the press conference in Minsk on January 28 when asked about investigation of the actions of the unknown who hindered the work of journalists at mass rallies:
"In my life of a policeman occupying a high post I came across such facts, which certainly cannot be confirmed -- when some people wanted to provoke [bad] realtions between police and mass media representatives. So when the matter concerns people who are unkown for us, our aim is to identify these persons...
I do not exclude that it is done exactly for painting black the interior ministry like this later. And if such facts about policemen would be detected, we would carry out agency checks, giving them proper evaluation and infrom you about results of such checks".
Agents in civilian clothes hinder work of Associated Press news photographer
A journalist of Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe is hindered in his work
Riot policemen hinder photo reporters of Reuters agency
Agents in civilian clothes hinder work of Associated Press news photographer
A journalist of Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe is hindered in his work
Agents in civilian clothes hinder work of Associated Press news photographer
A journalist of Radio Liberty/Radio Free Europe is hindered in his work
"Goblins" in civilian clothes against www.charter97.org