Austrian citizens

Belarusian authorities have launched a severe crackdown on journalists in the time when
thousands of anti-government protests are storming in the streets of Belarus demanding the
resignation of the long-time authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. Protests broke
out across the country after the President Lukashenko returned to power earlier in August. He
has served as president for over 26 years. As per the country’s election commission,
Lukashenko secured 80% of the vote in poll on Aug 9. A day later, the streets of Belarus
were overrun by thousands of demonstrators who accused Lukashenko of committing fraud
by rigging votes and demanded a fresh election. The demonstration grew more heated after
several opposition leaders including the main opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya,
were forced to leave the country and many others imprisoned. Svetlana revealed that she had
fled to Lithuania after facing threats from the country’s leadership.

In recent few weeks, nearly 50 journalists from around the world were rounded up by law
enforcement authorities dressed in riot gear and taken into custody. Many of them were made
to hand in their documents, cell phones, hard drives, etc. to the government officials.
President Lukashenko in July had threatened to deport foreign journalists by accusing them
of instigating nationwide dissent. International news agency Associated Press has said that
two of its Moscow based reporters covering the demonstrations in Belarus has been deported
back to Russia. Al Jazeera reported that two reporters working for the German broadcaster
ARD have been asked to leave the country. The Guardian reported that Paul Hansen, a
Swedish photojournalist, was given 24 hours to leave the country and told he could not return
for the next five years. Faced with the wrath of its own citizens and growing international
condemnation, Belarus’ leadership is working overtime to keep the media in check. When
question was asked that why authorities had revoked the media accreditation of so many
journalists, government spokesperson Anatoly Glaz told AFP that decision was taken based
on advice from the country’s counter-terrorism unit. BBC’s reporter from Moscow, Steve
Rosenberg, who was detained while reporting in Belarus’ capital Minsk, said that his arrest
was a clear attempt to interfere with coverage of events in Belarus. Several prominent media
organisations like BBC and AP have urged the authorities to allow reporters to do their jobs.
To control the crowds that had gathered across the country, Belarusian authorities deployed a
huge number of law enforcement officials. Reports of police brutality also emerged. Several
countries including the US have rejected the election results in Belarus. The European Union
has announced that it will impose sanctions on top Belarusian officials for alleged vote
rigging and violence against protestors. Russian President Vladimir Putin who is an ally of
Lukashenko has said that he has formed a reserve police force set to intervene if the situation
gets out of control in the country. On 1 st Sep, President Lukashenko said that “It is not about
power. Alternative forces must not cut the country into pieces. I am concerned about only one
thing. I want to protect something we have been building for a quarter of the century with our
own hands. We have revived the country from ruins and ashes.” He believes that some
reporters have hyped too much about the situation in the country.

Several dozen students on 1st Sep held pickets outside their universities and marched through
the city centre on the fourth week of mass protests rocking the country. Belarusian media
reported that at least 40 students were arrested as police moved to break up the crowd.
President has dismissed the protestors as Western puppets and bristled at the demands for him
to step down after 26 years in power or start a dialogue with the opposition. Several strike
organisers at top industrial plants have been arrested. On 1st Sep, people gathered near several
large plants in support of the striking workers. Amid the official pressure, some opposition
activists announced the creation of a new party together. The main opposition Svetlana has
warned that government should not hope that the protests will lose steam. The government
must understand that things will never be the same and people want changes.

Rajeev Ranjan @ Samacharline