European Forum

Special investigative centre on internet activity established in Belarus

Following a law signed by Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenko on January 4th, an Operative-Analytical Centre (OAC) under the President was established on January 14th. The centre will have the right to conduct investigative activity in Belarus including the control of internet-correspondence of Belarus citizens and monitor the movements of Belarus internet-users on the web (i.e. which sites they visit).

The OAC is a state organ that is said to ensure safety in matters of national security and leaks of information of a state secret nature. It will also be the administrator of the domain .by, the official domain for Belarus websites, with a budget of approx. EUR 3 mln.

In the relevant law proposal several issues are mentioned, such as blocking of websites according to state organ decisions, identification of web-users, criminal responsibility for the dissemination of certain information on the internet as well as a government registration of internet news media. This means that the bill would require all online publications to be registered and everyone going online to be identified, both in Internet cafés and at home. Internet café clients would have to show an ID document in order to go online, while Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would have to keep a record of this information and report it to the police, courts and the special agencies that monitor all news content published in Belarus. 

Reporters Without Borders (RWB) expressed concern over the Belarus government’s plans to tighten control of the Internet in a country where free expression is already restricted, saying it ‘threatens online free speech and everyone’s right to express their views anonymously without fear of government repression’. RWB added: “After placing most of the traditional media under its control, the regime is pursuing an offensive against new media.”

Sources: Charter 97, Reporter Without Borders

Source photo: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty