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Belarusian Association of Journalists

Professional association of journalists in Belarus

Field	Value
name	BAJ
logo	Belarusian Association of Journalists logo.png
logo_size	160px
full_name	Belarusian Association of Journalists
native_name	Беларуская асацыяцыя журналістаў
Белорусская ассоциация журналистов
established	1995
type	Professional association
leader_title	Chairperson
leader_name	Andrey Bastunets
location_city	Minsk
location_country	Belarus
affiliations	IFJ, EFJ, Reporters without Borders
publication	Abajour
website

Белорусская ассоциация журналистов

The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) (; ) is a Belarusian professional association of journalists from independent media, created in 1995 to protect freedom of speech, freedom of information, promote the professional standards of journalism, conduct monitoring of Belarusian press, and offer legal support to all media workers.

In 1997, BAJ became an associate member of the International Federation of Journalists. Since 2013, the Association has also been a full member of the European Federation of Journalists.

The Association experienced significant pressure from the authorities since the 2000s. The journalists were detained, beaten, forbidden to leave the country, faced criminal and administrative charges, etc. In the Summer the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus 2021 issued a warning to BAJ and demanded access to thousands of documents, including all emails for 3.5 years. Part of the required documents was confiscated by the Investigative Committee of Belarus a few months earlier, some were unavailable and kept inside the office, sealed after police searches. A day later after the second warning the Ministry initiated the liquidation process. The Supreme Court of Belarus terminated BAJ license on August 27, 2021. On February 28, 2023, the Association was declared an 'extremist formation' by the Belarusian KGB.

Activities

The association became the most respected media organization in the country,{{cite web |trans-title=Belarus Supreme Court Dissolved BAJ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211116081954/https://www.b-g.by/society/6139/ |url-status = dead |archive-date = November 16, 2021 |trans-title=Zhanna Litvina: ‘My Heart is Given to BAJ’ |access-date = 2021-11-12}} The Association considered professional education of journalists to be the most important part of its work. It cooperated with the European Journalism Centre (EJC), Fojo Media Institute, Norvegian, Danish, and Lithuanian Journalists Unions, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. BAJ network included an office in Minsk and five regional offices in Luninets, Vitebsk, Gomel, Molodechno, and Mogilev.{{cite web |language = ru

BAJ offered legal and psychological assistance to repressed journalists; it helped release detained reporters while working and ensured provision of medical care to ones put in detention centres.{{cite web

History

Founding

BAJ was founded in 1995, Zhanna Litvina was elected as its chairman. Since 2000 the association published a monthly magazine, Abajour,{{cite web |language = en |trans-title = Andrey Bastunets: ‘Ashes of Klaas Still Beats in My Heart’ |archive-date = 2021-11-16 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211116081956/https://inform-progulka.by/ru/347/society/12562/?ls-art17=1040 |url-status = dead |trans-title=Supreme Court Dissolves Belarus Journalists Association |trans-title=Euroradio Journalists Among Winners of ‘Вольнае слова’ |trans-title = Journalists of Naviny.by Nominated for ‘Вольнае слова’ |archive-date = 2021-11-16 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211116082002/https://naviny.online/article/20180907/1536329386-volnae-slova-avtory-navinyby-vnov-v-chisle-pobediteley |url-status = dead

In 2002-2003, BAJ led a nation-wide campaign against the new Law ‘On Mass Media’ that was designed to restrain independent press and stifle freedom of speech.{{cite web |language = ru |trans-title=Belarusian Association of Journalists Steps Up Against New Media Law |trans-title=Defamation Articles in Criminal Code: Main Questions |access-date = 2021-11-12 |trans-title=Dunya Mityatovich: Belarusian Media Laws Require Changes |access-date = 2021-11-12

In 2013 BAJ became a full member of the European Federation of Journalists.{{cite web |trans-title=Zhanna Litvina: Hard Days Will Pass, We Will Stick Together and Fight for Truth |trans-title=Zhanna Litvina Resides as BAJ Chairman Under Standing Ovation

State Pressure

The organization suffered pressure from the authorities throughout all its active years. Members of BAJ were numerous times detained, beaten, forbidden to leave the country, faced criminal and administrative charges, called for questioning by the KGB and General Prosecutor, their cameras and documents confiscated.{{cite web |language = ru |trans-title= Human Rights in Belarus 2012 |trans-title = Attacks on Bloggers, Journalists and Media Workers in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, 2017-2019 |archive-date = 2021-11-16 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211116082004/https://baj.by/ru/analytics/ataki-na-zhurnalistov-blogerov-i-rabotnikov-smi-v-belarusi-rossii-i-ukraine-2017-2019 |url-status = dead

On January 13, 2010, the Justice Ministry issued a warning and prohibited BAJ to use the word “press” on the credentials of its journalists.{{cite web |access-date = 2021-11-12}} In early 2011 seven members of the association were arrested and faced legal charges that were explained by human rights defenders as vengeance of the authorities for coverage of the protests after 2010 Belarusian presidential election. One of them (Paval Sieviaryniec) was sentenced to seven years in prison, others got up to four years.{{cite web |language = ru |trans-title=Independent Journalists Under Scope of Belarusian Authorities |access-date = 2021-11-12 |trans-title=Paval Sieviaryniec and Six Other Dissidents Sentenced to 4 and 7 Years |trans-title=Zhanna Litvina Re-Elected as BAJ Chairman

In 2014 and 2018 the Association stood against new restrictive amendments to the Law ‘On Mass Media’. The reforms were giving space for the authorities to further crack down the independent voices. It introduced obligatory registration of new media outlets, easier procedures allowing to ban websites and suspend whole editorials.

2020–2021 protests and beyond

During the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests, BAJ together with Reporters without Borders collected data that showed Belarus was Europe's most dangerous country for journalists in 2020. The association also provided persecuted journalists with legal support, while repeatedly being a target of state repression itself. On 18 January 2021 BAJ declared Andrej Aliaksandraŭ and Iryna Zlobina political prisoners. In March 2021, BAJ condemned the sentencing of journalist Katsiaryna Barysevich of TUT.BY to half a year in prison for her reporting.

On February 16, 2021, BAJ suffered a wave of police raids on its office and houses of journalists and their relatives.{{cite web |language = en

On June 9, 2021, the Belarus Justice Ministry initiated an investigation of the Association.{{cite web |language = en |trans-title=Supreme Court Liquidates BAJ |access-date = 2021-11-13 |trans-title=Justice Ministry Issues Warning to BAJ |access-date = 2021-11-13 |trans-title=Supreme Court of Belarus Liquidates BAJ |access-date = 2021-11-13

Andrei Bastunets promised that the Association will keep working ‘in any possible legal ways’ despite the license withdrawal. He underlined that BAJ was a community and its members would stay dedicated to their values.{{cite web

On February 28, 2023, the KGB has designated the Association as an 'extremist formation'; as a result, participation in it can be punished with a prison sentence.

On February 6, 2023, Bastunets filed a complaint to United Nations Human Rights Council over BAJ's forced liquidation claiming that the Belarusian authorities violated the right to freedom of association under Article 22 of the ICCPR.{{cite web | access-date =2024-03-11}}

Prominent members

Zhanna Litvina – the chairman since 1995 until April 25, 2015.{{cite web |access-date = 2021-09-06
Andrey Bastunets – the chairman since April 25, 2015.

Awards

2003 — World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers' Golden Pen of Freedom Award.
2004 — the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize.
2011 — the Atlantic Council presented its Freedom Award to BAJ, the Belarus Free Theater and the Human Rights Center Viasna.
2020 — BAJ becomes the first recipient of the Canada-United Kingdom Media Freedom Award.
2021 — Free Media Award.
2022 — UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize.

References

(2020-11-26). "Journalism in Belarus: 'Like walking through a minefield'". [[Deutsche Welle]].
"Белорусская ассоциация журналистов: день сегодняшний". mediakritika.by.
"Правки Кодекса этики БАЖ: не подставлять коллег и уважать источники информации". mediakritika.by.
(2020-12-29). "Belarus was Europe's most dangerous country for journalists in 2020, data shows Access to the comments".
(2020-11-26). "Journalism in Belarus: 'Like walking through a minefield'".
"Immediately release political prisoners Andrei Aliaksandrau and Iryna Zlobina!".
(2021-03-02). "Belarus journalist sentenced for report on protester's death".
(2021-02-16). "Belarusian authorities raid Belarusian Association of Journalists headquarters, journalists' homes". [[Committee to Protect Journalists.
(2021-02-16). "Belarus: Belarusian Association of Journalists under attack". [[International Federation of Journalists.
(2021-02-19). "U.S. Imposes Visa Restrictions On 43 Belarusians For 'Undermining Democracy'".
(March 8, 2023). "OSCE Media Freedom Representative condemns yet another attack on the Belarusian Association of Journalists". [[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]].
(March 8, 2023). "IPI denounces designation of Belarusian Association of Journalists as ‘extremist group’". [[International Press Institute]].
[http://www.svaboda.org/content/andrej-bastuniec/26976402.html На старшыню БАЖ абраны Андрэй Бастунец], [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], 25.04.2015
"Golden Pen of Freedom". [[World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers]].
"Sakharov Price Laureates 2001-2010".
(2 April 2015). "Freedom Awards". [[Atlantic Council]].
"United Kingdom and Canada announce recipient of first Media Freedom Award".
Кепински, Ольга. (2021-08-12). "Все награды Free Media Awards присуждены белорусским журналистам". [[euronews]].
[https://www.unesco.org/en/prizes/cano UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize]

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