Ahead of 2015 elections: Information Ministry hammers out warnings to local newspapers

The Information Ministry of Belarus has issued warnings to a number of independent local newspapers, the Belarusian Association of Journalists reports. Their editors-in-chief are set to go to the law.

According to BAJ, the Ministry is cavilling about minor points.

In particular, Hazeta Slonimskaya received the warning for missing figures of circulation in two February issues. Meantime, as seen from the PDF, they were presented on the front page of the newspaper, however, they were really missing at the bottom of the last page.

Baranavichy-based Intex–press was warned against cutting the name the Republic of Belarus to abbreviation RB.

“A phone call from the Ministry would be enough for us to correct the mistake, if it really breaches the law. But the Information Ministry decided to make an official warning. It is nothing but a demonstration of power,” the editorial office of Intex-press said.

A similar warning was issued to newspaper Hantsavitski Chas.

“Firstly, no law says that it is forbidden to use abbreviations. So, we will surely appeal against the warning. Secondly, an absolute majority of state regional papers also uses abbreviations or do not mention the Republic of Belarus in publisher’s imprint,” editor-in-chief Piotr Huzayevski said.

It is to be recalled that two warnings give grounds for the Information Ministry to initiate court proceedings to close down a mass medium. The Belarusian Association of Journalists puts the attack on mass media down to the coming presidential elections.

www.belsat.eu/en/, following BAJ