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GAMAG EUROPA (GE) demands an end to the oppression…

GAMAG EUROPA demands the immediate release of Protasevich and Sapega.

GAMAG EUROPA (GE), the European branch of the Global Alliance for Media and Gender demands an end to the oppression of freedom of expression in Belarus. We call on the Belarus authorities, together with President Alexander Lukashenko, to end all forms of harassment and attacks on journalists, bloggers, intellectuals and all independent voices in the country, with immediate effect.

Freedom of expression is an integral part of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and must be respected.

Roman Protasevich, 26, Belarus blogger and former editor of the opposition Telegram channel NEXTA, together with Russian citizen Sofia Sapega, 23, his partner, were detained by Belarus police on May 23, after the flight they were on (Athens-Vilnius) was diverted to Minsk, following a bogus bomb threat. According to reports by the official Belarus news agency, President Lukashenko personally gave the order to land the plane because of a suspected bomb threat. No bomb was found on board the aircraft.

This arrest could lead to Protasevich facing the death penalty since he has been added to a list of state-named ‘terrorists’, in view of his media reports, which included the coverage of protests that followed the result of the 2020 general elections, as well as the reporting of brutal violence against protesters by law enforcement personnel.

These protests saw the arrest of a number of journalists, who are still in detention, and include our women colleagues:
Katsiaryna Andreeva, Dariya Chultsova, Yulia Slutskaya, Ala Sharko, Ksenia Lutskina, Marina Zolatav, Volga Loyka, Ludmila Chekina, Alena Talkachova, Angela Asad, Irina Rybalka, Ala Lapatka, Dariya Danilava, María Novik, Katsiaryna Tkachenka, Irina Kastsuchenka, Lubou Kaspiarovich, Irina Schastnaya, Hanna Vishniak, Viktoria Kulsza, Volga Klaskouskaya, Natalia Radzina, Ludmila Korszun and Katsiaryna Barysevich.[1]

The full list of detained journalists is much longer.

GAMAG EUROPA demands the immediate release of Protasevich and Sapega, together with all journalists, bloggers, intellectuals, women and men being detained by the regime, as well as an independent investigation of the forced landing of the diverted Ryanair flight in Minsk.

Finally, we demand that all acts of violence against independent voices and critics of the Lukashenko regime be investigated, and an end to the persecution of freedom of expression in Belarus

[1] These names have been provided by the RAZAM Association of Belarusians in exile and confirmed by our fellow journalists in Minsk.

Photo: Diario Alerta de Cantabria

GAMAG EUROPE / 25-5-2021

Day of Solidarity and Struggle for Equality

International Press Freedom Day

The commemoration of Unesco this May 3,2021 has a slogan ” Information as public good”. It is symbolic : during pandemic time people all over the globe understood the crucial role of frue and accurate information as well as challenges for independent voices. Press freedom and journalists have never been challenged that much before.

UNESCO, RSF, CPJ, OSCE, IFJ, EFJ and other organizations report about unprecedented pressure on freedom of expression. More than 1.500 media workers have been killed in recent 10 years, 9 cases from 10 ended with impunity.

New legal restrictions, attacks and different forms of censorship and all forms of pressure on journalists take place everywhere. At the same time gender discrimination is growing all over the world, and in the media as well.

Growing sexual harassment, gender based censorship and discrimination are regular practice. Women journalists working online face double burden, bournout, they are fired and underpaid more often than men.

They face threats online and offline three times more often than men Women activists face threats including death threats for covering acts of gender based violence. General sexist approach in the media is growing.

GAMAG EUROPE joins UNESCO, RFS, Iin, COU, EU, EFJ and others in call for justice for killed colleagues and safety for all as well as gender equality in the media. We demand proper investigation of likking of Maltese Dafne Caruana Galizia and suicide of Russian Irina Slavina, demant to stop pressure on Philippine Maria Ressa, Nicaraguan Kalua Salazar, Belarussians Daria Chultsova and Katerina Bakhvalova and others.

We demand end of impunity for those who kill and oppress journalists, end of practice of harassment and discrimination in labout market. We demand to stop sexism in the media and culture. We do believe that free from sexism and discrimination media environment would be public good for all.

GAMAG Europe Secretariat

EUROPE, May 3, 2021 International Press Freedom Day