UN Authority Figures

UN Committee on Information: Belarus

Belarus's media environment remained extremely restrictive, and criticism of the president and the government is considered a criminal offense.
Source: Freedom House, 2015

Mission of the Committee on Information: "...To promote the establishment of a new, more just and more effective world information and communication order intended to strengthen peace and international understanding and based on the free circulation and wider and better-balanced dissemination of information and to make recommendations thereon to the General Assembly." (Committee on Information website, "About the Committee")

Belarus's Term of office: 1991 (P.2, Para 5) - current

Belarus's Record on Freedom of Information:
"the government ... enforced numerous laws to control and censor the public and the media... Freedom of Speech: Individuals could not criticize Lukashenka and the government publicly or discuss matters of general public interest without fear of reprisal. Authorities videotaped political meetings, conducted frequent identity checks, and used other forms of intimidation... The law also limits free speech by criminalizing actions such as giving information to a foreigner about the political, economic, social, military, or international situation of the country that authorities deem false or derogatory. Press Freedoms: Government restriction of press freedom limited access to information and often resulted in self-censorship by the media. State-controlled media did not provide balanced coverage and overwhelmingly presented the official version of events... Authorities warned, fined, detained, and interrogated members of the media. Under the law the government may close a publication after two warnings in one year for violating a range of restrictions on the press. Additionally, regulations give authorities arbitrary power to prohibit or censor reporting. The Information Ministry can suspend periodicals or newspapers for three months without a court ruling. The law also prohibits the media from disseminating information on behalf of unregistered political parties, trade unions, and NGOs... Violence and Harassment: Authorities continued to harass and detain journalists routinely. Security forces continually hampered efforts of independent journalists to cover demonstrations and protests in Minsk and across the country... Harassment of local and foreign journalists was also common. The Belarusian Association of Journalists reported that during the year authorities charged at least 14 journalists or had them stand trial for cooperating with an unaccredited foreign media outlet."
(U.S. State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2014, Belarus)