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Belarusian Association of Journalists
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) (Belarusian: Беларуская асацыяцыя журналістаў, romanized: Biełaruskaja Asacyjacyja Žurnalistaǔ; Russian: Белорусская ассоциация журналистов) 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.
The association became the most respected media organization in the country, it united more than 1300 members, mainly from independent non-governmental media. Data from BAJ monitoring was widely used in Belarusian media. Activities of the organization included legal assistance to journalists, support of regional press, cooperation with international organizations. BAJ also was engaged in educational programmes, it organized various conferences, seminars, table talks, and training for journalists. It launched such media campaigns as ‘Preserving Historical Heritage’, ‘For Ecological Well Being’, ‘High Standard of Journalism’. 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. BAJ also had an Ethics Commission to review appeals regarding alleged breaches of professional Code of journalism ethics.
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. и организовать переписку с заключёнными
BAJ was founded in 1995, Zhanna Litvina was elected as its chairman. Since 2000 the association published a monthly magazine, Abajour, that served as a platform for discussion on such topics as journalism ethics, handling information, professional responsibilities, etc. In 2000 BAJ held the first ‘Independent Press Festival’, two years later it organized ‘Closed Newspapers Festival’. In 2003, BAJ accepted the ‘Declaration of Journalism Professional Ethics’. Along with the Charter, the Declaration became the main document for BAJ members to rely on in their work. In 2006 the Association was re-registered. Since 2007 BAJ has run the ‘Вольнае слова’ (trans. ‘Free Words’) competition for journalists.
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. The Association advocated for decriminalization of three Articles of the Belarus Criminal Code, which provided for up to two years imprisonment for ‘defamation, libel and insult to high-ranking officials or the president’. The Association gathered more than 7000 signatures and appealed to the Constitutional Court in order to verify the Law’s compliance to the State Constitution.
In 2013 BAJ became a full member of the European Federation of Journalists. By 2015 the Association had 1150 members. On April 24, 2015, Zhanna Litvina stepped down from the chairman post. Andrey Bastunets was elected as the new head of the organization.
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Belarusian Association of Journalists
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) (Belarusian: Беларуская асацыяцыя журналістаў, romanized: Biełaruskaja Asacyjacyja Žurnalistaǔ; Russian: Белорусская ассоциация журналистов) 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.
The association became the most respected media organization in the country, it united more than 1300 members, mainly from independent non-governmental media. Data from BAJ monitoring was widely used in Belarusian media. Activities of the organization included legal assistance to journalists, support of regional press, cooperation with international organizations. BAJ also was engaged in educational programmes, it organized various conferences, seminars, table talks, and training for journalists. It launched such media campaigns as ‘Preserving Historical Heritage’, ‘For Ecological Well Being’, ‘High Standard of Journalism’. 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. BAJ also had an Ethics Commission to review appeals regarding alleged breaches of professional Code of journalism ethics.
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. и организовать переписку с заключёнными
BAJ was founded in 1995, Zhanna Litvina was elected as its chairman. Since 2000 the association published a monthly magazine, Abajour, that served as a platform for discussion on such topics as journalism ethics, handling information, professional responsibilities, etc. In 2000 BAJ held the first ‘Independent Press Festival’, two years later it organized ‘Closed Newspapers Festival’. In 2003, BAJ accepted the ‘Declaration of Journalism Professional Ethics’. Along with the Charter, the Declaration became the main document for BAJ members to rely on in their work. In 2006 the Association was re-registered. Since 2007 BAJ has run the ‘Вольнае слова’ (trans. ‘Free Words’) competition for journalists.
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. The Association advocated for decriminalization of three Articles of the Belarus Criminal Code, which provided for up to two years imprisonment for ‘defamation, libel and insult to high-ranking officials or the president’. The Association gathered more than 7000 signatures and appealed to the Constitutional Court in order to verify the Law’s compliance to the State Constitution.
In 2013 BAJ became a full member of the European Federation of Journalists. By 2015 the Association had 1150 members. On April 24, 2015, Zhanna Litvina stepped down from the chairman post. Andrey Bastunets was elected as the new head of the organization.