State of the Media in Belarus

Background Information Population: about 10 million Education: 98% literacy Languages: Russian (official) and Belarusian Established as an independent republic in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union

Population: about 10 million

Education: 98% literacy

Languages: Russian (official) and Belarusian

Established as an independent republic in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union

WWII Impact Much of the capital city of Minsk was destroyed during WWII 1/3 of the total population was killed during the war

Much of the capital city of Minsk was destroyed during WWII

1/3 of the total population was killed during the war

The Chernobyl Effect In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine malfunctioned Contamination leaked into the atmosphere and was carried into neighboring Belarus

In 1986, the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in Ukraine malfunctioned

Contamination leaked into the atmosphere and was carried into neighboring Belarus

Chernobyl 70% of the radiation was released into Belarus 23% of the land in Belarus is now uninhabitable 9 million people were contaminated 2,000 towns evacuated

70% of the radiation was released into Belarus

23% of the land in Belarus is now uninhabitable

9 million people were contaminated

2,000 towns evacuated

Chernobyl Yet, many people are moving back to the contaminated regions Unable to afford life in the bigger cities, they live in the abandoned houses

Yet, many people are moving back to the contaminated regions

Unable to afford life in the bigger cities, they live in the abandoned houses

Alexander Lukashenko The country is currently under the rule of authoritarian Alexander Lukashenko Elected in 1994 to a five-year term as the country’s first president

The country is currently under the rule of authoritarian Alexander Lukashenko

Elected in 1994 to a five-year term as the country’s first president

Alexander Lukashenko Amended the constitution in 1996 to expand his powers Used the revision to restart the beginning of his five-year term (thus adding two years to his elected term) Re-elected in 2001 and 2006 in fixed elections

Amended the constitution in 1996 to expand his powers

Used the revision to restart the beginning of his five-year term (thus adding two years to his elected term)

Re-elected in 2001 and 2006 in fixed elections

Fixed Elections Term limits initially prevented a president from serving more than two terms Lukashenko changed the law to allow for unlimited terms International watchdog groups have failed to recognize the elections as legitimate

Term limits initially prevented a president from serving more than two terms

Lukashenko changed the law to allow for unlimited terms

International watchdog groups have failed to recognize the elections as legitimate

2006 Protests Following the rigged elections in March 2006, hundreds of people protested in downtown Minsk Police beat up and arrested the protestors

Following the rigged elections in March 2006, hundreds of people protested in downtown Minsk

Police beat up and arrested the protestors

Human Rights Violations Opposing candidates arrested and/or harassed Government restrictions on freedom of speech and press, peaceful assembly and religions Newspapers expressing negative opinions of the president have been shut down, fined and/or harassed

Opposing candidates arrested and/or harassed

Government restrictions on freedom of speech and press, peaceful assembly and religions

Newspapers expressing negative opinions of the president have been shut down, fined and/or harassed

Dmitri Zavadski Journalist missing since 2000 Former official cameraman to Lukashenko and the state-run TV station Quit to join a Russian TV news organization Disappeared shortly after participating in a critical report Government refuses to investigate

Journalist missing since 2000

Former official cameraman to Lukashenko and the state-run TV station

Quit to join a Russian TV news organization

Disappeared shortly after participating in a critical report

Government refuses to investigate

Freedom of the Press Libel laws used to suppress expression of government criticism Laws passed that restrict the use of foreign funding for media Businesses that advertise with independent media are threatened Printing presses pressured to not work with indie media

Libel laws used to suppress expression of government criticism

Laws passed that restrict the use of foreign funding for media

Businesses that advertise with independent media are threatened

Printing presses pressured to not work with indie media

Freedom of the Press Restriction of the use of external media in reporting Threat of detention for those retail outlets distributing indie media Mail system is banned from distributing indie papers

Restriction of the use of external media in reporting

Threat of detention for those retail outlets distributing indie media

Mail system is banned from distributing indie papers

Freedom of the Press Many indie media outlets shut down Sole indie broadcaster closed down Frequency reassigned to state-run TV channel All TV stations are now state-run News is one-sided and essentially pro-government propaganda

Many indie media outlets shut down

Sole indie broadcaster closed down

Frequency reassigned to state-run TV channel

All TV stations are now state-run

News is one-sided and essentially pro-government propaganda

Ranking Reporters Without Borders ranked Belarus as 144 th out of 167 countries for press freedom

Reporters Without Borders ranked Belarus as 144 th out of 167 countries for press freedom

The Fate of Nasa Niva Nasa Niva is the nation’s oldest independent newspaper Founded in 1906 Closed down by government in 2006 Underground version still exists with extremely limited circulation Web edition now open

Nasa Niva is the nation’s oldest independent newspaper

Founded in 1906

Closed down by government in 2006

Underground version still exists with extremely limited circulation

Web edition now open

State-run TV “TV-First” “ LAD” launched in 2003 “ Belarus-TV” launched in 2005 to international audience

“TV-First”

“ LAD” launched in 2003

“ Belarus-TV” launched in 2005 to international audience

Tabloid TV State-run TV channels routinely target westerners and diplomats with tabloid-style coverage Example: Latvian diplomat “gay sex” hidden camera scandal

State-run TV channels routinely target westerners and diplomats with tabloid-style coverage

Example: Latvian diplomat “gay sex” hidden camera scandal

Internet Media Internet is surprisingly unregulated so far All Web access is through the state-run telecom Only 20% of the population is online Younger people most likely to be online Broadband only 10% of Internet usage

Internet is surprisingly unregulated so far

All Web access is through the state-run telecom

Only 20% of the population is online

Younger people most likely to be online

Broadband only 10% of Internet usage

Internet Media Indie news Web sites were mysteriously inaccessible during last election Some outlets are using technology to bypass the blocking Rumored that Belarus government has just purchased blocking software from China

Indie news Web sites were mysteriously inaccessible during last election

Some outlets are using technology to bypass the blocking

Rumored that Belarus government has just purchased blocking software from China

Internet Crackdown? In early Feb. 2007, a new law was passed that required all Internet café workers to document who uses the Web They are also supposed to keep a log of every Web site that is visited

In early Feb. 2007, a new law was passed that required all Internet café workers to document who uses the Web

They are also supposed to keep a log of every Web site that is visited

Major indie Web sites Open.by Belapan Fromby.net Tut.by

Open.by

Belapan

Fromby.net

Tut.by

Images of Belarus

Images of Belarus

Images of Belarus

Images of Belarus

Images of Belarus

Images of Belarus