Media Freedom Coalition demands release of Roman Protasevich and other journalists in Belaruse

Admin l Saturday, May 29, 2021

 

WASHINGTON – Media Freedom Coalition has condemned Belaruse for  forced diversion and landing of a commercial aircraft and subsequent arrest of journalist Roman Protasevich.

The coalition, comprising Governments of Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, described the development as unprecedented and shocking, noting that the action constitutes a full frontal attack on media freedom and has serious implications on the right of freedom of expression and opinion more broadly.

This action, the coalition said is all the more troubling when seen in the context of the large-scale campaign to silence independent voices in Belarus, including the May 18 raid on the offices of independent news site and the subsequent arrest of several staff.

The Media Freedom Coalition noted that some 400 journalists and workers in the media in Belarus have faced various forms of repression in the course of the August 9 election and its aftermath.

The Media Freedom Coalition demands the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Protasevich as well as other journalists and media workers who have been detained in Belarus for doing their jobs, adding that those responsible must be held accountable for attacks on journalists and media workers.

“Media freedom is an important part of democratic societies and essential to the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms”, the coalition said.