With the support of Human Constanta a website www.covidmonitor.by has been launched gathering information on how authorities in the Republic of Belarus react to the situation with the COVID-19 coronavirus.1 On the website one can see the chronology of statements, actions, reactions of state bodies. Legal acts adopted by the state and expert opinions on certain actions wil be published there. Each restriction imposed by the state must be legal, proportionate and non-discriminatory. Information is col ected for history in order to further process and analyse everything that has been and has not been done.

In this report, we would like to summarize and record the practice that had been developed in Belarus between January and April 2020.

1 CoronaVirus Disease 2019 - hereinafter COVID-19

Содержание

Introduction

4

Main conclusions

5

Impact on daily life

7

Impact on Education

9

Impact on work

11

Restriction of freedom of movement

12

Impact on individual (vulnerable) groups

14

People in closed institutions

14

Foreign citizens

15

People with experience of homelessness

16

Incidents of discrimination

17

Digital freedoms

19

Access to official information

19

co

Misinformation

21

vidmonito

Personal data protection

22

r.by

humanconstanta.

by

3

IntroduCtIon

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an outbreak of coronavirus infection COVID-19 was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since February, coronavirus infection began to spread in the European part of the world. Following WHO guidelines, the governments of states, neighboring to Belarus, began to take large-scale measures in the field of public health, including physical distancing, namely:

• postponing of mass events, including sport, religious and cultural ones;

• quarantine of all those who have been in contact with patients diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as those who could have interacted with the carriers of the virus;

• introduction of teleworking, distance learning in schools, universities, suspension of functioning of enterprises that do not provide basic services;

• reduced movement and/or quarantine;

• closure of external borders.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has become a serious human rights challenge.

While the virus is actively spreading around the world, most states are taking active steps to curb the spread of the virus. However, a number of questions by

and concerns arise about the way states comply with and interpret human rights standards in times of crisis.

manconstanta.hu

by r.

vidmonitoco

4

MaIn ConClusIons

There has been developed no systemic response to the pandemic crisis in Belarus. Practice and attitude often change and government agencies do not act in sync.

Educational process in a number of higher and vocational institutions was transferred to distance learning. There was no general order from the Ministry of Education in this regard, and universities took decisions at their discretion.

Schooling was halted centrally for two weeks by extending the spring break and resumed on April 23. It was argued that not everyone has the opportunity to study remotely, and there are problems with providing food for children at home. After resuming their studies, institutions do not insist on compulsory attendance and this issue remains at the discretion of the parents.

There has not been developed a single approach to changing the working regime in the country as this remains at the discretion of the management of enterprises and companies.

In relation to people experiencing homelessness, additional sanitary measures are taken by specialized organizations and at night shelters, but they still remain a vulnerable group that requires special attention and support during the pandemic.

covidmonito

According to official statements, there are no patients with COVID-19 in the penitentiary system. To prevent the spread of the virus to these institutions, visits of civilians are completely restricted, while no alternative communication channels are provided.

r.by

In relation to foreigners staying in Belarus, there has not been adopted a comprehensive legal act regulating the procedure for their stay in the conditions of the spread of coronavirus infection. Nevertheless, the state authorities announced and fixed a positive practice for extending the period of humanconstanta.

stay (registration) of foreigners in Belarus who cannot leave due to the closure of borders by other states. Yet, there is noted a lack of effective information work in this direction: many foreigners are not aware of the possibility of extending their stay in Belarus. The procedures for extending registration and issuing an exit visa for foreigners have not been simplified.

by

5

There were manifestations of discrimination against persons of allegedly Asian descent.

There are some practices where insufficient attention is paid by the authorities or pressure and coercion is used to place people at risk of being infected or becoming carriers of the virus (people living with HIV, civil servants and employees of state enterprises and institutions, military personnel, professional football players).

The Ministry of Health publishes daily epidemic statistics. Weekly briefings for journalists are also held. Non-state mass media note that it is very difficult to obtain more complete and detailed information from officials, especially about statistics and the situation in the regions. The practice established well before the epidemic persists, when medical workers first need to agree on any interview with the Ministry of Health.

In early April, just before the arrival of the WHO technical mission to conduct an expert assessment of the situation, the official website www.stopcovid.

belta.by was launched. Often updated once a day, it only contains data on the number of tests performed, registered cases of infection in the country, the number of people who recovered and were discharged, and those who died.

The Ministry of Information monitors the publications in the media containing false information about the epidemic. Such cases are rare and not systematic.

As sanctions, the requirements to eliminate violations of the law and warnings (3 cases).

In Belarus, there is still no comprehensive regulation of the protection of personal data at the level of legislative acts. However, since extensive quarantine measures have not been introduced in Belarus, there is no information on by

the practice of mass tracking of movements and contacts using information technologies.

manconstanta.hu

by r.

vidmonitoco

6

IMpaCt on daIly lIfe

According to the Ministry of Health, the first case of coronavirus infection COVID-19 in Belarus was officially confirmed on February 28, 2020. By April 30, 14 027 people were registered with a positive test result. 89 people have died. By March 18, 2020, Belarus was isolated from all neighbouring countries, including the Russian Federation having closed its borders.

A quarantine or a state of emergency was not introduced in Belarus, and teaching of schoolchildren and students was not officially terminated. In fact, no major measures have been proposed to stop the spread of the virus. The football championship continues in Belarus, preparations are underway for the celebration of May 9, a republican community work day –subbotnik, was held on April 25, and the celebrations of Catholic and Orthodox Easter were not limited. At the same time, the president postponed his annual message to the parliament. Practice and attitude often change and government agencies do not act in sync. Much depends on the daily statements of the head of state.

Only in early April, Belarus introduced almost the only mandatory measure: self-isolation for those who arrived from countries with cases of COVID-19

infection, patients with COVID-19, as well as contacts of the first and second levels.1 The vast majority of other measures are advisory in nature. At the level of republican bodies, only the Ministry of Health gave recommendations.

co

At the local level, only a few executive committees (Grodno, Minsk, Minsk vidmonito

region) in early April began to take measures to prevent and reduce the spread of acute respiratory infections, including those caused by coronavirus.

The main measures provide, in particular, the personal responsibility of the r.

heads of enterprises and organizations with regards to non-admission at the by

working place of employees with signs of respiratory infections, as well as workers who arrived from abroad before the expiration of their self-isolation.

In organizations of all forms of ownership at least once a day, it is necessary to carry out wet cleaning with use of disinfectants and to ventilate the premises hu

as often as possible. In addition, it is necessary to provide public places with manconstanta.

antiseptic dispensers, liquid soap, and, if necessary, personal protective equipment. There is also a need to disinfect public transport and train station areas. Drivers should be provided with masks, gloves, antiseptics. Housing and by

1 http://pravo.by/novosti/novosti-pravo-by/2020/april/48734/

7

communal services must often clean up common areas in apartment buildings using detergents and disinfectants.

Availability of medical masks, disposable gloves is now mandatory for trade workers. In shopping facilities, it is recommended that a social distance of at least one meter is maintained. In catering facilities, tables are requested to be placed at a distance of at least 1,5 m. Exhibitions, presentations, fairs and other events in closed rooms are canceled in cities. Sports, cultural, entertainment and other events are limited. There have also been suspended discos, while the work of sports and fitness rooms, reading rooms, libraries was limited. It is forbidden to smoke hookah in public catering facilities. Religious organizations have been recommended to reduce mass services.

Only in several cities, it was decided not to hold public events on May holidays (Baranovichi, Brest).

by

manconstanta.hu

by r.

vidmonitoco

8

IMpaCt on eduCatIon

The first registered (February 28) patient with coronavirus was a student of BNTU from Iran. From March 1, studying at BNTU continued according to individual schedules. Students at a number of universities requested quarantine, but on March 25, the Ministry of Education officially announced that it considered quarantine to be impractical. Only mass events were cancelled or postponed at a later date and class schedules were adjusted: universities changed the start time of classes in order to prevent crowded transport during peak hours and to separate the flows of passengers travelling to work and study. However, gradually many universities switched to distance learning Mainly in Minsk and Vitebsk on the recommendation of local authorities.2 There was little public information about this. Outsiders were prohibited from attending student dormitories.

For institutions of secondary specialized and vocational education, it is recommended to correct lectures and use other forms of classes, but it is more difficult for such institutions to switch to distance learning due to the practical nature of classes.

Starting March 30, the school began scheduled vacations, which were supposed to last one week. On the last day of the vacation, it was decided to extend co

the vacation for another week. At the end of the second week of vacation, vidmonito

they were extended for another week. Further, the holidays did not extend, and even May 1 was declared a school day, despite the official day off. The authorities stressed that further parents have the right to decide whether r.

their children need to attend school or not. The main arguments for not by

prolonging the holidays mentioned by the leadership of the country were the lack of the possibility of distance learning, and also that in rural areas there would be no one to look after children and there would be nothing to eat at hu

home. As a result, the fourth quarter will last six instead of eight weeks. The manconstanta.

National Institute of Education has published guidelines for teachers who teach in elementary and senior grades in order to cover all topics and complete 2 https://adukar.by/news/kak-vuzy-kolledzhi-i-shkoly-belarusi-perehodyat-na-distancionnoe-by

obuchenie-iz-za-koronavirusa

9

curricula during this time.3 It follows from the recommendations that fewer hours should be allocated on some topics than planned, others will need to be combined and studied in one lesson. You will also have to refuse from some tests, and from classes to systematize and generalize the material studied.

On April 24 Minsk Theological Academy quarantined the institution.4

Preschool institutions were not closed. If in a preschool institution someone fell ill with coronavirus, then basically a part of the kindergarten (group) went to quarantine for two weeks and after a while returned to work.

by

manconstanta.hu

by r.

3 https://adu.by/ru/homepage/obrazovatelnyj-protses-2019-2020-uchebnyj-god/obshchee-srednee-obrazovanie/2173-metodicheskie-rekomendatsii-1.html vidmonitoco

4 http://minda.by/минская-духовная-академия-закрыта-на/

10

IMpaCt on work

A unified approach to changing the workflow due to coronavirus in Belarus has not been developed. In April, the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection announced that there was no need to change labor protection standards in a pandemic.5

But at the same time, in early April, government agencies received a letter with the recommendations of the Ministry of Health: if possible, switch to remote work.6 Executive committees and district administrations in a number of cities switched to remote reception of residents (Vitebsk, Minsk region). Some executive committees (Grodno, Minsk, Minsk region) issued recommendations to enterprises on their territory to limit the number of workers per shift as much as possible, as well as to delimit the flows during a two-shift operation. It is forbidden for unauthorized persons to visit production and service premises. On April 10, the Ministry of Health allowed first-level contacts to be on self-isolation at home. These people will be given sickness certificate.7

covidmonito

r.by

humanconstanta.

5 https://www.belta.by/society/view/menjat-normy-po-ohrane-truda-v-svjazi-s-pandemiej-koronavirusa-net-neobhodimosti-mintruda-388509-2020/

6 https://people.onliner.by/2020/04/07/minsdrav-2

7 https://www.belta.by/society/view/kontaktam-pervogo-urovnja-po-covid-19-budut-by

vydavat-bolnichnye-na-vremja-samoizoljatsii-386773-2020/

11

restrICtIon

of freedoM of MoveMent

In April, compulsory self-isolation for 14 days was introduced for a number of individuals. Self-isolation rules apply to arrivals from countries where cases of COVID-19 infection are reported, contacts of the 1st level, contacts of the 2nd level (in the presence of one or more respiratory symptoms). The fact that a citizen has contact and its level must be confirmed by officials of bodies and institutions that carry out state sanitary supervision, state bodies that manage activities in the field of sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population.8

Arrivals from certain countries are not allowed through the state border of Belarus until the expiration of the period of self-isolation.9 This rule does not apply to foreigners who transit through Belarus to return to their place of residence, employees of diplomatic missions, consular offices of foreign states in Belarus and accredited in combination with residences in other countries, international organizations and their representative offices located in the country, as well as members of their families. The rules do not apply to heads and members of official delegations, drivers of vehicles during international road transport of goods, crew members of aircraft, inland water transport vessels, train crews, locomotive crews of international railway traffic.

by

A list of countries reporting cases of COVID-19 infection is available on the website of the Ministry of Health. The rules of conduct for self-isolation arrivals are also determined by the ministry. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of the Interior and the State Border Committee are collaborating to organize and verify compliance with self-isolation measures.

manconstanta.hu

The officers of the border guard agencies issue to the arrivals a corresponding application form in the form established by the Ministry of Health. After filling out the questionnaire, they are handed over to officials from the Ministry of Health.

by r.

8 Decree of the Council of Ministers of April 8, 2020 No. 208 «On the introduction of restrictive measures».

vidmonito

9 Decree of the Council of Ministers of March 25, 2020 No. 171 «On measures to prevent co

the import and spread of the infection caused by the coronavirus COVID-19».

12

Persons on self-isolation must not leave their place of residence (stay).

To purchase goods you need to use the services of online stores.10 In this case, direct contact with suppliers of goods should be excluded.

Assessment of compliance with the requirements of self-isolation is assigned to local centers of hygiene and epidemiology. In cases where the self-insolated is absent at the place of residence or violates the rules of self-isolation, the centers of hygiene and epidemiology, together with the militia, must take measures to establish its location and the reasons for not observing self-isolation. Administrative protocols are drawn up for citizens who do not observe self-isolation under article 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses,

«Disobedience to a lawful order or requirement of an official in the exercise of his official powers.» Forced hospitalization and treatment are allowed.

Cases are already known when fines were imposed on people who did not even know that they should be on self-isolation. The situation is aggravated by the fact that the consideration of such administrative cases takes place on Skype. This review procedure does not ensure the principle of openness and transparency.11

covidmonito

r.by

humanconstanta.

10 Ministry of Health Decree No. 24 of March 31, 2020 «On the rules of conduct in self-isolation and in the form of a questionnaire for people who arrived from countries in which cases of COVID-19 are recorded».

by

11 https://spring96.org/be/news/96651

13

IMpaCt on IndIvIdual

(vulnerable) groups

people In Closed InstItutIons

The Ministry of the Internal Affairs twice in March and April made official statements that the epidemiological situation in the penitentiary system was stable.

According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, all necessary sanitary and anti-epidemic measures are being taken to prevent the spread of respiratory infections in the penitentiary system (PIS) and medical labor dispensaries (MLD).

Visitors and employees with high body temperature and obvious symptoms of a respiratory disease, as well as anyone who has refused to measure temperature, are not allowed into the PIS and MLD. The medical supervision of persons in the penitentiary system has been strengthened. Additional disinfection measures are carried out, the premises are systematically ventilated. All institutions are provided with dispensers with antiseptic agents for hands in common areas.

by

Special instructions are given for employees and prisoners in order they comply with sanitary rules and norms.

The provision of short and long dates is temporarily suspended. However, there is a promise that the number of visits stipulated by the law during the manconstanta.hu

year will be preserved in full measure. No alternative measures are provided for communicating with loved ones for the duration of the virus (increased phone calls, the ability to use a computer with the Internet). It is also unknown about cases when the preventive measure was changed to a softer one in connection with the epidemiological situation.

by r.

Due to restrictive measures, some categories of detainees may be more vulnerable. For example, asylum seekers may experience difficulties in the procedure. We know that UNHCR officers were not allowed to be in the vidmonito

pre-trial detention center in Minsk to the defense applicant for an interview.

co

14

From March 12, an additional transfer of garlic, onions, apples, lemons, oranges with a total weight of up to 10 kg, as well as one complex of vitamins, is temporarily allowed once every 30 days.

foreIgn CItIzens

Due to the introduction by a number of states, including neighboring ones with Belarus, of restrictive measures on the entry of foreign citizens into their territory, a large number of foreign citizens who are in Belarus were unable to return home. This situation particularly affected those foreigners who flew to Belarus as part of a visa-free regime. In March, the Department of Citizenship and Migration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus decided to extend the period of stay of foreigners in Belarus. As we were told in the Department, a special regulatory act was not adopted, but according to the statement of the head of the Department, such practice is applied by citizenship and migration departments throughout the country.12 If a foreigner arrived in Belarus through the National Airport under a 30-day visa-free regime, then after applying to the appropriate department for citizenship and migration, his stay in Belarus can be extended up to 90 days. If a foreigner arrived in Belarus without a visa within the framework of a bilateral agreement for 90 days, then he can be extended for up to 180 days.

Despite the positive measures taken by the state in relation to foreigners, the fact of the absence of a regulatory document containing conditions for extending the period of stay of foreigners in Belarus can lead to heterogeneous co

practice on the ground. There is also a lack of awareness of “stuck” foreigners vidmonito

in Belarus about the possibility and conditions of extending their stay, especially those who checked in online and did not encounter the work of the Belarusian departments of citizenship and migration. Also, foreigners who arrived in r.

Belarus on visa-free travel through the National Airport face the problem of by

leaving Belarus due to the cancellation of flights and the absence of a Belarusian exit visa. To apply for an exit visa, they also need to apply to the citizenship and migration departments, which leads to additional cash costs for foreigners and hu

requires a longer stay in Belarus.

manconstanta.

by

12 https://interfax.by/news/obshchestvo/skandaly_i_proisshestviya/1273478/

15

people wItH experIenCe of HoMelessness According to surveys of people who experience homelessness, we know that city centers for night (temporary) stay of people without a fixed place of residence in 9 cities continue their work. Antiseptic agents appeared in them, employees use masks, and a more attentive medical examination is carried out upon the arrival of people (they measure the temperature, check for signs of SARS). In Minsk, such a center allows people to be around the clock and has allocated a separate room for people with primary symptoms of the disease.

At the same time, homeless people still do not receive medical assistance for other diseases, and not all of these centers can provide food, so they are forced to go out again. Non-profit organizations and initiatives that help the homeless also take additional measures, but do not receive assistance from the state.

by

manconstanta.hu

by r.

vidmonitoco

16

InCIdents

of dIsCrIMInatIon

There are few publicly known cases of discrimination in connection with COVID-19 in Belarus. Some cases of manifestations of domestic xenophobia in the metro and other public places in relation to people of presumably Asian descent (demonstrative removal, statements, etc.) were spotted. There is a case when a taxi driver refused to let a guy from Kazakhstan into his car.13

Two online petitions were also created with the requirement to restrict the entry of people from China to Belarus.14

In this regard, the Minister of Health Vladimir Karanik made a public statement where opposed the manifestation of xenophobia against the Chinese people amid the situation with coronavirus.15

However, A. Lukashenko’s statements that such groups of people as aged people, overweight people, and alcohol and nicotine addicts are responsible for their death can be called the most provocative.

There are practices when insufficient attention to situation is paid by the authorities or the pressure and coercion are used to put people in situations where there is a risk of becoming infected or to become the carries of the virus. People living with HIV (about 12 thousand people) may be left without co

vital medicines.16 Civil servants and employees of state-owned enterprises and vidmonito

institutions were forced to take part in subbotnik on April 25.17 The military, in addition to basic duties, are forced to continue preparations for the May 9

parade.18 The situation with professional football in Belarus can be also called r.

difficult. The games of the Higher, First, Second Leagues and the Cup of Belarus by

13 https://auto.onliner.by/2020/02/11/minsk-1537

14 https://petitions.by/petitions/3400, https://petitions.by/petitions/3502

humanconstanta.

15 https://belsat.eu/ru/news/ministr-zdravoohraneniya-belarusi-vyskazalsya-naschet-ksenofobii-v-svyazi-s-koronavirusom/

16 https://gazetaby.com/post/takie-kak-ya-nevidimki-v-belarusi-zakanchivaetsya-/162839

17 https://news.tut.by/economics/682300.html by

18 https://news.tut.by/society/682570.html

17

are still ongoing. For various reasons (decisions of the authorities, business interests), players and club employees are forced to work and are at risk.19

The start of the women’s competition was postponed, but nonetheless, on April 30 the tournament began.

Another interesting case is when a student who called for other students to isolate themselves at MSLU was expelled from the university.20 Formally —

due to classes missed.

by

manconstanta.hu

by r.

19 https://by.tribuna.com/tribuna/blogs/editors/2768821.html vidmonitoco

20 https://www.svaboda.org/a/30538635.html

18

dIgItal freedoMs

aCCess to offICIal InforMatIon

According to Art. 34 of the Constitution, citizens of the Republic of Belarus are guaranteed the right to receive, store and distribute complete, reliable and timely information on the activities of state bodies, public associations, political, economic, cultural and international life, and the state of the environment.

State bodies, public associations, officials are obliged to provide the citizen of the Republic of Belarus with the opportunity to get acquainted with materials affecting his rights and legitimate interests.

In turn, Article 16 of the law “On Information, Informatization and Information Protection” relates that the information on the sanitary and epidemiological situation to information that cannot be restricted to access (publicly available information).

Also, Article 27 of the law “On the sanitary-epidemiological well-being of the population» establishes the right of citizens to receive complete, reliable and timely information about the sanitary and epidemiological situation. Art. 11

directly indicates the provision of such information as one of the measures to co

ensure the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population.

vidmonito

On April 7, the president instructed not to hide information about the coronavirus. He said that the Presidential Administration has a corresponding headquarters in which all current information on the spread of coronavirus r.by

is accumulated: « Everyone must do their job. I emphasize once again: doctors treat, all the information is located in the Presidential Administration at headquarters».21 On April 12, Natalya Kachanova, chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly, stated that nothing was hidden from hu

the citizens of the country, and the information received was absolutely true manconstanta.

and reliable.22

21 https://interfax.by/news/policy/vnutrennyaya_politika/1274227/

by

22 https://people.onliner.by/2020/04/12/virus-31

19

A brief summary of the WHO technical mission which conducted an expert assessment of the situation with COVID-19 in the Republic of Belarus from April 8–11, 2020 emphasizes the particular importance of the access to information:

«Regularly and comprehensively informing the public about the development of the situation with COVID-19 in Belarus, including data on regions, is vital to increase understanding of the current epidemiological situation, as well as to explain the reasons for taking certain national measures, such as postponing public events or restricting the freedom of movement».23

On April 7, on the eve of the arrival of the WHO technical mission to conduct an expert assessment of the situation with COVID-19 in the Republic of Belarus, the website www.stopcovid.belta.by — «official coronavirus information resource» started to work. There is no description of the project on the website, but judging by the logo located there it was created jointly by the Ministry of Health and the BelTA news agency.

On April 10, a map with regional statistics was removed from the website. The journalists who, according to Minister Vladimir Karanik, began to search and prosecute patients with confirmed coronavirus against their will were to blame for this: « Fearing publicity, people began to contact us with symptoms later, also began to hide their contacts in order not to create problems with public».

Although, it is worth noting that sometimes the regional statistics appears on the website (for example, as of April 20), but as a rule, such information contrary to WHO recommendations is not provided on it, and statistics for previous days and the dynamics of the situation are not available.24

On April 13, information from the website of the Brest Regional Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Public Health and the Baranavichy Zonal Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology disappeared with statistics on coronavirus in by

the regions. Olga Aniskevich, deputy head physician of the Baranavichy Zonal Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology, explained this: « It is no longer interesting to anyone how much they (the cases of illness) will increase. Statistics is not what people need to know. They need to understand when the process will start to come to an end (coronavirus incidence)»25

manconstanta.hu

As of April 28, the official Internet resource www.stopcovid.belta.by provides only data on the tests performed, the registered cases, the recovered and discharged patients, and the dead. Also, on the website there is a selection of by

23

r.

http://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/440609/Belarus-Mission-Report-Executive-Summary-rus.pdf?ua=1

24 http://web.archive.org/web/20200420153608/http://stopcovid.belta.by/

vidmonito

25 https://www.intex-press.by/2020/04/13/eto-ne-to-chto-nuzhno-lyudyam-znat-kak-my-co

pytalis-uznat-svezhuyu-statistiku-po-koronavirusu-v-baranovichah/

20

news (only BelTA news), information on the promotions in support of doctors, infographics, links to distribution maps of the coronavirus (WHO, J. Hopkins University, Yandex).

According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, many media editors state that it has become especially difficult to get any more complete and detailed information from local officials, as a rule, journalists are redirected to higher authorities. Representatives of the Ministry of Health often do not respond to official inquiries and questions on their social networks and channels, and sometimes hold briefings for journalists without the ability to ask questions.26

MIsInforMatIon

As follows from the official statements, the Ministry of Information carries out daily monitoring of Internet resources regarding compliance with the requirements of the Law on Media, including the dissemination of false information about the epidemiological situation in the country.

For now, the Ministry of Information issued three warnings or demands to eliminate violations to the owners of Internet resources for publishing inaccurate information about the situation with the epidemic. On March 13, the Internet resource vitebsk.biz published an article “Nikolay Vasilyevich Martynov, General Director of JLtd “Marko” died in Minsk” containing inaccurate information about the death of the head of the organization.27 On April 4, media-polesye.by online resource made the publication “A coronavirus test was confirmed for a resident of the Luninets district. While she was in Minsk, her husband died in a local hospital.” In both cases, the owners of the Internet resources received written warnings about violation of the co

requirements of Articles 4 and 49 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On vidmonito

Mass Media».28 Also, for the dissemination of false information in accordance with subparagraph 1.3 of paragraph 1 of Article 38 of the Law “On Mass Media”, the Ministry of Information issued a requirement to eliminate the r.

violation to the owner of the nn.by Internet resource.29

by

26 https://baj.by/be/analytics/kak-chinovniki-zakryvayut-ot-obshchestva-informaciyu-o-covid-hu

19-rasskazyvayut-redaktory

manconstanta.

27 http://mininform.gov.by/news/all/za-feyk-vyneseno-trebovanie-vladeltsu-internet-resursa/

28 http://mininform.gov.by/news/all/vyneseno-preduprezhdenie-za-rasprostranenie-lozhnoy-informatsii/

29 http://mininform.gov.by/news/all/za-nedostovernuyu-informatsiyu-vyneseno-trebovanie-by

vladeltsu-nn-by/

21

It is noteworthy that the editors of media-polesye.by admitted the validity of the warning of the Ministry of Information. “The lack of official sources, the reluctance of officials to answer basic, significant questions for people. It is often easier for us, regional journalists, to establish contact with metropolitan or regional departments, rather than with local ones, where you can’t get an elementary comment on a particular issue” — was noted by the resource in a statement published on April 6.

personal data proteCtIon

In Belarus, there is still no comprehensive regulation of the protection of personal data at the level of legislative acts. The draft law «On the protection of personal data» is under consideration in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. In such a situation, any measures for the mass collection of data on the movements and contacts of citizens should be subject to strict public control. However, extensive quarantine measures have not yet been introduced in Belarus. In relation to persons who are required to be in self-isolation, there is also no information on the practice of mass tracking of movements and contacts using information technologies.

Under the pretext of protecting medical confidentiality, the Ministry of Health has stopped publishing detailed statistics on coronavirus by regions.30 At the same time, some officials allowed public discussion of medical diagnoses of patients in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic.31

by

manconstanta.hu

by r.

30 https://www.sb.by/articles/karanik-obyasnil-pochemu-minzdrav-perestal-davat-statistiku-po-koronavirusu-s-razbivkoy-po-rayonam.html vidmonito

31 https://www.belta.by/society/view/minzdrav-razoblachil-ocherednuju-zhurnalistskuju-co

sensatsiju-o-smerti-ot-koronavirusa-v-belarusi-384156-2020/

22

Human Constanta is a Belarusian human rights organization.

We registered in 2016 in Minsk. We work with human rights in three main areas:

• protection of the rights of foreign citizens and stateless persons;

• Promotion of anti-discrimination and human rights education;

• digital rights and freedoms.

our mission

Promotion of public interests and joint actions in response to modern challenges in the field of human rights in Belarus.

what are we doing?

• Helping others protect their rights.

• Comparing Belarusian laws and practice with the best foreign examples and standards of human rights.

• Transferring this knowledge through educational and educational activities.

Mobile/WhatsApp +375 44 562 3842

covidmonito

E-mail: legal@humanconstanta.by

r.by

I f l /humanconstanta

humanconstanta.

by

23

Document Outline

- Введение

- Основные выводы

- Влияние на ежедневную жизнь

- Влияние на образование

- Влияние на работу

- Ограничение свободы передвижения

- Влияние на отдельные (уязвимые) группы ЛЮДЕЙ

- ЛЮДИ, НАХОДЯЩИЕСЯ В ЗАКРЫТЫХ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЯХ

- ИНОСТРАННЫЕ ГРАЖДАНЕ

- ЛЮДИ С ОПЫТОМ БЕЗДОМНОСТИ

- Дискриминационные инциденты

- Цифровые свободы

- Доступ к официальной информации

- Дезинформация

- Защита персональных данных

Table of Contents

Введение

Основные выводы

Влияние на ежедневную жизнь

Влияние на образование

Влияние на работу

Ограничение свободы передвижения

Влияние на отдельные (уязвимые) группы ЛЮДЕЙ

ЛЮДИ, НАХОДЯЩИЕСЯ В ЗАКРЫТЫХ УЧРЕЖДЕНИЯХ

ИНОСТРАННЫЕ ГРАЖДАНЕ

ЛЮДИ С ОПЫТОМ БЕЗДОМНОСТИ

Дискриминационные инциденты

Цифровые свободы

Доступ к официальной информации

Дезинформация

Защита персональных данных