Broadening Its IT Horizons: Belarus Goes Baltic?

Belarusan authorities officially approved an agreement with Lithuanian government on cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies and in development of information society.

 The initial agreement was discussed in November 2012, at a meeting in Vilnius, and is aimed at deepening and improving technological exchange and practices between the two countries. Given Belarus’ past trajectory with media censorship and limitation of free speech, such an agreement could have a darker side…

“The parties undertake to share experience in the field of the regulation of electronic communications, to cooperate in the field of e-government services and the use of electronic signatures, contribute to the development of the information society, promote investment in ICT and the creation of joint ventures, to conduct joint training courses, seminars, conferences, forums and exhibitions, to encourage research and exchange of experts and specialists.”

In addition to its cooperation with Lithuania, Belarus has also pledged to expand its internet gateway capacity by 100Gbps, by October 2013. A move which is being made in order to meet the growth of the Internet subscriber base, and to improve the quality of access to foreign information resources.

The exact implications of this announced expansion have left some analysts sceptical. In a report from the Index on Censorship published in January 2013, author Andrei Aliaksandrau highlighted Belarus’ strict hold on national media and internet usage, which in many cases has been used a tool for entrenching oppression rather than freedom of speech:

“Belarus has one of the most hostile media environments in the world and one of the worst records on freedom of expression. New digital technologies, in particular the internet, have provided new opportunities for freedom of expression but have also given the authoritarian regime new tools to silence free voices and track down dissent. As the internet has become an increasingly important source of information, the Belarus authorities have used a variety of different means to control it. Keeping a tight rein on information remains at the core of their policy of self-preservation”.

Back in January 2012, Belarus passed a new law which effectively banned the browsing of foreign websites. The law prohibits access to foreign websites by anyone deemed a “company” or a “entrepreneur”, a definition which is being considered ominously ambiguous and broad in its scope of interpretation.   Belarus has a history of strict web-censorship, as authorities have banned any websites which have been branded as potentially encouraging political opposition, and the Belarusian government has jailed citizens for posting items which ridiculed the government, particularly President Aliaksandr Lukashenka.

Eastbook.eu