Declaration (statement) of the Management Board of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ)

The Management Board of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ) is deeply concerned and shocked by the gross and systematic repressions against our colleagues journalists and independent media, carried out by the authorities in Belarus, especially after last year’s presidential elections in the country and the mass protests in Minsk and other cities. During these protests the demonstrators denounce the official election results due to alleged falsifications and the victory of President Alexander Lukashenko.

.Even in the last months of 2020 only, journalists were arrested 477 times, just because they dared to speak out their dissent and denounce the draconic measures of the authorities or simply because they reported about the protests of the opposition. 62 colleagues were subjected to violence, 50 media outlets, critical to the government in Minsk, were closed and journalists spent 1 200 days altogether behind the bars. The Belarussian Association of Journalists (BAJ) alarms that repressions have even intensified since the beginning of 2021. Nine journalists and media workers face now criminal prosecution and  expect prison sentences on pure political grounds.

The most recent drastic case of a mock trial is the forthcoming one on February 9th against the TV (Belsat) journalists Catarina Andreeva and Darja Chulcova, who broadcasted live a violent dispersal during a protest in Minsk and were detained behind the bars on November 15th last year. The ridiculous indictment  against these two colleagues is for “disturbance and  gross violation of the public order” and

Ms. Andreeva and Ms. Chulcova face up to 3 years in prison. Even these facts are enough to be convinced that repressions in Minsk have been switched into high gear and the outrages of the authorities against journalists, doing their duties to inform the society arouse our deep indignation. Any attempt for intimidation of journalists and media, critical to the authorities, any attempt to stifle the freedom of speech by using “bats of the prosecution” including, anywhere in the world and by any government or anybody, is a drastic violation of  the democratic rights and freedoms.

The Management Board of the Union of Bulgarian Journalists demands the immediate and unconditional release of all our arrested colleagues and insists on compliance with the basic civil rights and freedoms. We express our solidarity with the Belarussian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and share their just fears for the destiny of the Belarussian colleagues – potential victims of legal arbitrariness. We strongly support the clear stand on this issue, already expressed by the European and International Federations of Journalists (EFJ and IFJ), whose affiliate and collective member is the UBJ. We join the urgent appeal of the General Secretaries of both prestigious and influential organizations,  Mr. Ricardo Gutiérrez and Mr. Anthony Bellanger that the police and legal arbitrariness versus journalists in Belarus should be stopped and we all need to strengthen the international journalistic and civil support of their just cause.

February 8th, 2021                                                       Management Board of the Union

Sofia, Bulgaria                                                              of Bulgarian Journalists (UBJ)