BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

28/05/2008

Radio Racyja journalist not accredited for work in Belarus apparently for commenting KGB actions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus denied accreditation to Radio Racyja journalist Aleksei Minchonak. It was the first time journalists of the radio addressed for accreditation to work in Belarus, and a denial was received at once, online paper Khartiya'97 marks. Officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Belarus have stated that the journalist was "engaged in journalist activities for a foreign media without accreditation".

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has adopted an absurd decision. When searches were held in our office, commenting actions of the KGB and police officers, a representative of the ministry Mariya Vanshyna stated that we worked without accreditation. Now the authorities deny legalizing our activities themselves," Khartiya'97 cites Minchonak's interview.

AIA already informed that on March 27 officials of the Belarus State Security Committee (KGB) held searches in rented apartments of journalists contributing to the Polish Radio Racyja, European Radio for Belarus, Polish TV channel Belsat, and in private apartments of independent journalists from Gomel, Vitebsk, Brest, Grodno, Bobruisk and other cities. Office equipment and different data carriers were confiscated.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1562

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