Internet freedom in Belarus fell to the level of China, Iran, and Cuba
Belarusian
Christian Democrats protest against unprecedented censorship in the Belarusian Internet.
The blocking of major independent websites on December 19, 2014 can be compared
with the situation of December 19, 2010. In one day the level of freedom of the
Internet in Belarus has dropped to those of China, Iran, and Cuba.
The blocking of the popular independent
websites is a violation of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus,
globally accepted standards of human rights and even the current legislation of
Belarus.
The BCD calls on all democratic forces
of Belarus to defend the independent media! We call on the citizens of the
Republic of Belarus to join the actions of solidarity with the journalists, to
sign the petition on change.org,
and to disseminate information on how to bypass the blockage.
We urge the Belarusian authorities to
restore the freedom of the Internet in Belarus. We call on all human rights
organizations, the governments of the democratic countries of Europe and the
world to pay attention to another attack on the freedom of speech in Belarus
and support of Belarusian journalists. We note that the recent restoration of
political contacts with the Belarusian regime undertaken by some Western
politicians, unfortunately, did not improve the situation in Belarus, but was
seen as a sign of weakness, as a permission for further repressions against the
democratic society, the Belarusian people .
The Belarusian Christian Democracy urges
all those concerned with the fate of Belarus, both domestically and abroad, to
join together to protect the Belarusian independent media.
Let us protect the independence of the
press and thus preserve the independence of Belarus!
