Public Debate on Media Crackdown in Belarus: violations of rights of journalists and Government control on the Media
In April 2018, the European parliament approved a resolution deploring the harassment of independent media during the February 2018 local elections in Belarus.Meanwhile the Belarus authorities are in the process of drafting legislation that would enable the state to prosecute people suspected of spreading false information on the internet and drafting amendments to the media law that would strengthen government control over media and the internet. Freelance journalists cannot operate freely. Under Belarussian law, journalists are narrowly defined and this excludes freelancers. The state routinely refuses accreditation to independent journalists and harasses those who work with foreign media. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has invited its affiliate, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) to Brussels to hold meetings with senior EU and Parliamentary officials. The mission will end with a public discussion with journalists and media workers on the state of media and journalists rights in Belarus to be held on.Tuesday 19 June
18:00 to 19:00
at the Press Club Brussels Europe
Rue Froissart 95, 1040 Brussels
Speakers include:
Oliver Money-Kyrle, IFJ Projects Director
Andrei Bastunets, Lawyer and Chairman of the Belarusian Association of JournalistsZhanna Litvina, Board member and Former Chairwoman of the Belarusian Association of JournalistsVolha Baranouskaya, BAJ Council Member, Hrodna region Ilya Kuzniatsou, Freelance Journalist and TV producer, Belarus productionsRenate Schroeder, Director, European Federation of Journalists 
