BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

07/07/2005

On the political situation and the independence of the media in Belarus

[06.07.2005] B[6- /2005]

JOINT MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

Pursuant to Rule 103 of the Rules of Procedure, by

- Bogdan Adam Klich, Barbara Kudrycka, Laima Andrikiene, Charles Tannock, Karl von Wogau, Alfred Gomolka, Aldis Kuskis

European Parliament resolution on the political situation and the independence of the media in Belarus

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Belarus,

- having regard, in particular to its resolution of 10 March 2005 on the situation of political prisoners in Belarus.

- having regard to the United Nations resolution of 12 April 2005 on the situation of Human Rights in Belarus

- having regard to the OSCE Representative's report on the Freedom of the Media in Belarus of March 2005

- having regard, in particular, to the 'EU action plan for promoting democracy in Belarus' adopted by the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Belarus on 23 February 2005

- having regard to its Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought which has been awarded in December 2004 to the Belarusian Association of Journalists,

- having regard to the Communication from the Commission of 11 May 2004 on the European Neighbourhood Policy (COM(2004)0373),

- having regard to the EU sanctions adopted on 2 July 2004 placed on Belarusian officials following the disappearance of 3 Belarusian opposition leaders and one journalist,

- having regard to the resolutions by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the situation in Belarus and, in particular, to its resolution of 28 April 2004 on the persecution of the press in the Republic of Belarus,

- having regard to Rule 103 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, instead of improving, the situation in Belarus has further deteriorated to a situation where human rights are violated with contempt, the Lower House is deprived of its legislative rights, and economic life is ruled by the President; whereas these violations include imprisonment of members of the democratic opposition and other forms of repression used against them.

B. whereas the EU has repeatedly condemned the arrest of prominent opposition leaders by the Lukashenko government and whereas no progress has been made in the unsolved cases of a number of disappeared persons,

C. whereas over the past few years several political parties, 22 independent newspapers, and more than 50 pro-democracy NGOs of different levels and different political orientations, and several educational establishments have been closed for 'technical' reasons, but whereas it was clear that in all cases these organisations were punished for criticising the President and his policy,

D. Whereas in April 2005, the UN Commission on Human Rights criticized Belarus for persistent reports of harassment and closure of non-governmental organizations, national minority organizations, independent media outlets, opposition political parties, independent trade unions and religious organizations, and the harassment of individuals engaged in democratic activities, including independent media;

E. whereas all registration of new newspapers has been stopped by the state authorities, and many existing newspapers have been burdened with fines which does not enable them to continue publishing.

F. whereas politically motivated arrests and trials of activists of the democratic movement and independent journalists, and deportations of foreign citizens are continually taking place in Belarus; whereas two journalists from the newspaper Pahonia - Pavel Mazheika and Nicola Markievich, as well as the editor of the newspaper Raboczyj, Victor Ivazhkievich were sentenced from 6 to 9 months in prison.

G. whereas on May 12, the authorities of the Union of Poles in Belarus were recognised illegitimate by the Belarusian Ministry of Justice and a printing plant, instructed by the government, refused to print the Polish weekly "Glos znad Niemna" and fake issues were printed under the umbrella of the government;

H . whereas in 1999 WRD correspondent Dimitrij Zawadzki disappeared and the Belarusian authorities appear to be dragging their feet in the investigation. On 20 October 2004, Veronika Czerkasowa a journalist from the newspaper Solidarnosc. was murdered. Incidents of violence against journalists are becoming more common.

I. whereas publishing and distribution have been monopolised by the state, and the remaining private publishers face heavy fines if they publish independent newspapers; as a result many independent newspapers published abroad, including in Russia, are often confiscated on the border by the Belarusian authorities.

O. whereas all television and radio programmes, both national and regional, are in government hands, or are controlled by the state.

P. whereas all cable operators are persecuted for transmitting foreign channels not approved by the Belarusian government. On this bases all Ukrainian channels as well as the Polish channel Polonia were banned from broadcasting by Belarusian cable TV operators. (ALDE)

Q. whereas all internet connections are through a state run corporation which has blocked numerous accounts and www pages.

R. Whereas in March 2005 the Representative of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe in a report on the Freedom of the Media, raised serious concerns regarding the grave situation of the independent media in Belarus, in particular the declining number of registrations of independent newspapers and the increased pressure on the media through judicial, extrajudicial, and economic means;

1. Strongly condemns the Belarus regime's indiscriminate attacks on the media, journalists, members of the opposition, human rights activists and any person who attempts freely to voice criticism of the President and the regime, as manifested through arbitrary arrests, ill-treatment of detainees, disappearances, politically motivated persecution and other acts of repression that flout the basic principles of democracy and the rule of law;

2. Calls on the Council and Commission to create a complex, multi-annual programme of support for the independent media in Belarus which will encompass support for the broadcasting of independent radio and television programmes from abroad, as well as support for independent journalists and newspapers.

3. Welcomes the project for the creation of a radio network broadcasting from Poland, Lithuania and possibly Ukraine, and calls on the Commission to support its implementation.

4. Calls on the Council and Commission in this regard to provide, in the shortest delay the necessary assistance to begin the broadcasting of independent radio programmes to Belarus from abroad.

5. Emphasises that the radio broadcast should be able to use all transmission bandwidths including internet and should be available on a continuous basis

6. Calls on the Council and Commission to assist repressed journalists and their families.

7. Calls on the Council and Commission to create a programme of scholarships and stages for independent journalists, and to create training programmes for young independent journalists.

8. Calls on the Commission to consult the European Parliament on the implementation of this programme for free and independent media and information to the people of Belarus;

9. Should Belarusian authorities fail to improve the situation with the freedom of speech and mass-media allowing for its further deterioration the Commission, the Council, and the Parliament should initiate the procedure of expansion of the visa-ban list with Belarusian authorities involved in mass-media persecution

10. Condemns the government's action undertaken against the Union of Poles in Belarus as an attempt to curb the largest non-governmental organization and one of the few that were not controlled by the government; Remind that respect for minority rights embrace also the freedom of association and recognition of the elected statutory bodies of the organisation. Deplores the attempt to take control over "Glos znad Niemna" by the government.

11. Is in particular appalled by the recent convictions to long terms of forced labour against Mikola Statkevich, the chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada), Paval Sevyarynets, one of the Young Front leaders, and Andrei Klimov, a businessman and MP of the 13th Supreme Soviet,

12. Calls on the Belarusian authorities to stop expelling of democratic youth from universities and higher schools and declares its full support to students, who were expelled from higher schools for promoting democratic values and defending human rights and who started the hunger strike on May 25.

13. Welcomes the inauguration of the European Humanities University for Belarusian students in exile in Vilnius, and calls on the Commission and Member States to assist the European Humanities University in the pursuit of its teaching and research programmes,

14. Calls on the Member States to recognise diplomas issued by the European Humanities University as a confirmation of high competence and outstanding academic skills, and invites European universities to enter into a closer cooperation with the European Humanities University.

15. Emphasises once again that the further development of EU relations with Belarus will also continue to depend on the progress made towards democratisation and reform in the country; and access for Belarusian's to an objective, free and transparent media.

16. Calls on the Council and the Commission to raise the issue of Belarus with the Russian authorities so as to define a common action aimed at bringing about the concrete democratic changes in this country;

17. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Parliaments and Governments of the Member States, and the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and the Council of Europe.

Source:

http://www2.europarl.eu.int/omk/sipade2?PUBREF=-//EP//TEXT+PRESS+DN-20050707-1+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN&L=EN&LEVEL=2&NAV=X&LSTDOC=N#SECTION2

http://www2.europarl.eu.int/registre/seance_pleniere/textes_deposes/prop_res_commune/2005/0411/P6_RC(2005)0411_EN.pdf