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At the meeting of the OSCE the YHRM participants told about “silent protests” in Belarus and the Internet censorship in Ukraine


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Дата публикации: 
10.07.2011

The Supplementary Human Dimension Meeting of OSCE took place in July 7-8 in Vienna. This meeting was about promoting of pluralism in new media. YHRM representatives from Belarus, Russia and Ukraine participated in it.
The feature of this kind of meetings is that official representatives of 56 OSCE members and observers sit at one table and speak on equal terms with NGO. This is a unique mechanism of participation in meetings and debates with states and civil society representatives.

This time a discussion about modern situation with freedom of the Internet and another Media in the field of OSCE was held.

Some problematic moments, which should become subject of obligations in framework of OSCE were noted. Among them questions of regulations access to content in context of minors protection and anonymous of access.

During discussion Yulia Khlashchenkova, YHRM participant and representative of  the only officially registered nationwide Human Rights organization of Belarus - Belarus Helsinki Committee, made a statement about restriction of the Internet freedom in Belarus and pressure upon media activists from the side of state. First of all because of “silent actions” also named like “revolutions through social networks”.

Besides unlawful detentions members of this actions and journalists who covered the events, administrators appropriate groups in social networks are intimidated. KGB workers come to work or place of study of some of them. Some were took out from their homes for “talks” and their relatives didn’t know where they could be.
In her statement Yulia stressed that: “Evidently that this situation needs to be changed through systematic changes in state policy in the sphere of regulation of new media and the Internet and special attention from OSCE institutes, particular Representative on Freedom of the Media”.

Officials of Belarus didn’t react to this statement, but this information interested delegates of some countries. Rapporteurs also mentioned about the situation in Belarus in context of over- regulation of the Internet sphere from the side of Belarus officials.

Another YHRM participant Mikhail Kamenev, a member of nationwide youth organization of  Ukraine “Foundation for regional initiative” in his speech pay attention to the Internet censorship in Ukraine, which controlled by the National expert commission  on protection of social moral. Mikhail noted about contacts of commission with neo-Nazi youth organizations and presence of Deputy Chief of the Ukraine ultra-right party “Svoboda” (Freedom). This speech interested the Ukranian delegation.

Besides an official part, YHRM participants took part in a briefing of the Committee the International control on situation in Belarus “Human Right in Belarus: the 19th of December, 2010 and after” and in some other meetings.

Participation of YHRM members became possible due to support of Thomas Jefferson Institute.                            



 

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