Belarusian authorities restrict internet access
Author: Mikhail Doroshevich
26/03/2007
On March, 25 a number of Belarusian web-sites ucpb.org, svaboda.org, charter97.org, belhelcom.org, belaruspartisan.org, gazetaby.com and livejournal.com providing independent news and information were unavailable from 9.00 till 16.00 within the country borders.
Belarusian authorities have technical possibility to restrict access because of Beltelecom monopoly. According to the article 44 of the national Law On Electric Communication adopted in 2005.
Article 44. Peculiarities of the activities of the national operator of electric communicationThe national operator of electric communication is the operator having the duties of the mandatory rendering of the universal electric communication services on the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus according to the instructions of the Ministry of Communication and Information of the Republic of Belarus, and who will have the exclusive right for passage of the international traffic and connection to the electric communication networks of the foreign states.
The national electric communication operator shall connect other electric communication operators to the electric communication networks of the common use of the Republic of Belarus, as well as interaction between the electric communication networks.
It is planned to make amendments into the law in order to meet WTO entrance requirements. However, there are no plans to make any changes into this 44th article.
Useful links:
Beltelecom
The House of Representatives
The Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus
On Electric Communication Law
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E-Belarus.ORG, 2001-2011
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