Belarusian authorities ready to impose criminal sanctions on website owners and comment writers

• 26.03.2015, 7:05

Amendments to scandalous decree No.60 have been prepared.

The statement was made by minister of information Lilia Ananich during a meeting and a telephone Q&A session in Shchuchyn, BelTA reports.

“Amendments to legislation allowed changing the work of Internet sites. Destructive manifestations on the Internet must be suppressed,” she emphasized.

The minister noted that certain legislative norms relating to the Internet would be improved. Lilia Ananich said decree No.60 “On measures to improve the national segment of the Internet” would be amended.

“It is planned to close the loopholes allowing website owners not to hold responsibility for comments on their sites,” she said.

Several criminal cases were opened against charter97.org, also one for a comment on the website. Chief editor Natallia Radzina faced criminal prosecution in the case of “mass disorders” of 19 December 2010. She could have faced up to 15 years in jail. The journalist had to leave Belarus.