A/HRC/20/8 51. The Media Law of Belarus, which came into force in 2008, is restrictive by nature; it establishes a cumbersome bureaucratic process for the accreditation of journalists and does not include the concept of freelance journalism. Journalistic activities are controlled through various measures, such as television and radio censorship, surveillance of activities of independent journalists, and control over publishing houses. Journalists from independent and opposition media are repeatedly prosecuted and convicted for their professional activities. 52. In the crackdown on the protests of 19 December 2010 and its aftermath, at least 21 reporters were beaten, 27 journalists were detained, and 13 were sentenced to 10 to 15 days in custody.37 The KGB reportedly raided dozens of media offices and seized more than 100 items of electronic equipment.38 By mid-May 2011, seven journalists had been tried in connection with the events of 19 December. 53. One of the most prominent cases of media harassment is the case of Iryna Khalip, a human rights journalist for the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta and wife of opposition presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau. On 19 December 2010, while giving a live interview for Russian radio station Ekho Moskvy regarding the violent break-up of the Independence Square rally, she was arrested, taken to the special isolation centre of the KGB and charged under criminal investigations opened by the Department of the Interior under article 293, parts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code (“organization of or participation in mass disorder”). On 16 May 2011, a Minsk court gave her a two-year suspended prison sentence. 54. Andrzej Poczobut, an independent journalist, has been repeatedly prosecuted and convicted for his professional activities. He was detained for 15 days after his coverage of the events of 19 December 2010. Mr Poczobut was arrested on his way to the office of the European Union delegation in Minsk on charges of acts of “libel” and “insults”/“defamation” (articles 367 and 368 of the Criminal Code) against President Lukashenka, allegedly published in the Gazeta Wyborcza, a major Polish periodical, as well as on Mr Poczobut‟s personal blog and other sites on the Internet. On 25 March 2011, law enforcement agents searched Mr Poczobut‟s apartment, where they seized a computer and other items. He was re-arrested on 6 April; on 5 July 2011, he was sentenced to three years in prison, with two years suspension.39 55. In early 2011, another leading journalist, Natalya Radina, editor of the news website Charter 97, was detained and allegedly subjected to psychological pressure. She was extensively interrogated by prosecutors. Charter 97 computers and individual e-mail accounts were inspected. According to several observers, this followed criticism by Charter 97 of the restrictive Belarusian Internet law and an anti-Lukashenka documentary produced by the Russian channel NTV. Ms Radina was released on 28 January 2011, and subsequently fled the country.40 56. On 12 January 2011, the Government cancelled the broadcasting license of the Minsk-based private station Autoradio and closed it. The popular radio station was accused of broadcasting calls for “extremist behaviour”.41 The station‟s appeal against the decision was unsuccessful. On 14 April 2011, the Ministry of Information issued a warning to the 37 38 39 40 41 14 Belarusian International Implementers Meeting, Monitoring Report on Developments in Belarus, December 2010 - May 2011, p. 3. Oral briefing by Belarusian non-governmental organizations in Geneva, 17 March 2011. See Belorusskiy Partizan, www.belaruspartisan.org/bpforte/?newsPage=0&backPage=13&news=92799&page=100&locale=ru, 5 July 2011. Front Line Defenders, 31 January 2011. International Press Institute, 14 January 2011.