Belarus president talks about "Internet freedom"

04/09/2019

According to BelTA while speaking during the international conference held in Minsk on 3 September to discuss fight against terrorism Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko made a few comments about the problem of ensuring "Internet freedom".

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted that certain countries are concerned about the problem. “But what does the term mean? Where do we draw the line between the freedom of communication or self-expression and uncontrolled or unpunished behavior in the global digital space?” the Belarusian leader wondered. Aleksandr Lukashenko stressed that every country makes its own decisions to regulate the Internet. “As a sovereign country Belarus has its own point of view on the matter of moral, ethical, and legal borders of Internet freedom. I speak so freely about the matter of the Internet because none of you can reproach me for restricting Internet in Belarus even a bit. Although we should have. But we don't know yet how to do it without the civilized society enforcing sanctions against us. This is why we stay away from Internet for now. It can wait,” Aleksandr Lukashenko said. “But look at what is being done to the Internet in other countries. It is another problem relating to human rights,” Aleksandr Lukashenko pointed out. As far as Internet is concerned, in Belarus all the relevant approaches are stipulated by the recently adopted national information security concept. “But we will never be able to achieve the desired results in the matter of protecting our citizens without working out common rules, which will be recognized by all members of the international community,” the head of state is convinced.

Useful links:

https://eng.belta.by/president/view/belarus-president-talks-about-internet-freedom-123824-2019/

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