Belarus: Browsing Foreign Websites a Misdemeanor - Global Legal Monitor - Law Library of Congress (Library of Congress)
Does this mean if I ever make it to Belarus that I can't check my email via a USA (or any other non Belarussian country) website legally?
Scott
The law maybe harsh but that is the law. They don't infringe on your personal freedoms, my friend. You are either American or British or someone from the foreign soil. They were valid legislation approved by their law-making body. We don't have the right to deny them their right to legislate. Belarus has jurisdiction over crimes committed on her native soil but not on crimes committed on foreign soil. International law, my friend.
Read the law.
1) Companies should use belarusian hosters to provide online services in Belarus. Nothing special, just developing belarusian internet services.
2) When using public internet services such as internet cafe, you should show you passport. If you visit some extremist or terrorist sites, state wnat to catch you.
3) And for state factories and other state sites there are list of banned websites (porno, terrorist, etc.). Also nothing special.
That's all.
No restrictions for private services. I live in Belarus and use foreign services.
Yes, they do. But, you really don't care as you have plenty of troll posts.Originally Posted by heartfelty
'Nothing special?!?' Ha. It is the companies' responsibility for having internet access at certain sites, not the Government's but if this law seems just for you, it just shows the amount of brainwashing.
"The tax authorities, together with the police and secret police, are authorized to initiate, investigate, and prosecute such violations. (Id.)"
"Also, the Law authorizes the government to establish and update the list of banned websites to which access should be blocked by Internet providers. The Law mentions pornographic websites and those that contain information of an extremist nature as examples of those to be blocked."
So, if someone is suspected, the Police can just bust down your door and take your computer equipment?!?
They decide what is 'extreme' too. Yes, nothing special there.
Not to mention, maybe it's cheaper going with a different country's host but I guess the State should decide where your money goes.
He-he. Read the law. In Russian. There are no words such as "So, if someone is suspected, the Police can just bust down your door and take your computer equipment?!?"
About internet access. Only state companies (government owned) are mentioned. So the owner can decide what to do with his property?
What can I say about your own brainwashing?
Get a grip Pavelov, he lives there! Don't you think he knows what he's talking about?
You are the one who is brainwashed, not Dmitry!
I spent about 2 months in Belarus and accessed the internet from lots of places, including via a USB fob from the state telco company.
I had absolutely no restrictions whatsoever, anywhwere. I even accessed several anti-Lukashenko websites (because I was curious about what they had to say). If they were going to block anything, they would have blocked sites like that, no doubt. Particulalary on the state telecom company.
I had to show ID when I bought the USB fob though, but that happens in many EU countries too, so it's nothing special for Belarus. I am pretty sure I could have bought it on the market and not shown ID, and then it would have been completely anonymous.
I am afraid you'll have all your stereotypes smashed if you go to Belarus, Scott!
It's a super friendly country, apart from the state bureacracy and that was annoying rather than dangerous.
You can completely forget all the nonsense in travellers books about Belarus - you will not be "shadowed by the KGB" or anything like that. But that's probably what Pavelov would claim!
But as an IT person and as aa follow-up I'd just say that ANYONE, ANYWHERE should be cautious about what they do online. It's not such a bad idea to use an anonymizing service regardless of where you live. Just in case Google goes super-evil... or something unexpected happens in politics. Or simply so you can fileshare in peace.
And Pavelov, did you know: One of the biggest IT news of 2011 is that the US decided that a cyber attack against the US or its interest is "an act of war" by any state that allows it. No other country has such a law and it is extremely aggressive. That means the US could respond with conventional weapons against an country they believes has started a cyber attack. Plus, you'll be monitored just online anywhere you go. For example at the American base Menwith Hall in England, they monitor all of Europe's internet traffic for suspicious activities. No one knows how extensive this monitoring is.
Who else are spreading false rumours about Belarus but the Cuban moles of the US Library of Congress! Obama also forced a concerned CIA agent to blow the lid off Canadian spy Hugo Chavez who was revealed to have gathered classified intelligence in Cuba for Canada to be passed onto CIA. Obama is going down in history as a Cuban mole, to be indicted and convicted of treason and the corresponding punishment, lethal injection.
I don't want to displease Jesus Christ, a capitalist CEO and I am not using His name in vain, man. He'll hang me if I don't disclose what the Obama has been doing!! He already fired me several times for paying lip service to communism. This time he should not..I am caught between two opposing forces, the RIGHT and the LEFT! I dunno what to do anymore..
Just right now at this time, 5:18 p.m. He forcibly initiated my Italian-Canadian girlfriend to break off with me for refusing to quote the Bible: "I will teach you profitable acts"- God.
It says there was a new law passed on 11/25/2011. Hanna, your information on what you did or did not have access to while being there last summer is not quite up to date. I think this time those comrades have gone too far.
Yes, read the law. Everyone should read the laws.
USA?
How SOPA Will Change the Internet | The Mark
How SOPA Will Change the Internet - Yahoo! News
The Internet is the last bastion of free speech and liberty.
Censorship in Belarus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Increased Internet censorship in Belarus | EDRI
Internet Censorship in Authoritarian Belarus | Belarus Digest - News and Analysis of Belarusian Politics, Economy, Human Rights and Myths
Reporters Without Borders: Internet censorship in Belarus is intolerable - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk
Full text of Internet censorship regulation released in Belarus - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk
Protests in Belarus Provoke Internet Censorship
Authorities step up Internet restrictions, harassment of online journalists - Reporters Without Borders
Belarus Outlaws Viewing Foreign Websites | Geekosystem
No, Belarus Is Not Cut Off From The Internet, But New Restrictions Are Still Pretty Bad | Techdirt
"So while it is by no means true that Belarus has made accessing all sites outside the country illegal, it has certainly made it risky, if not impossible, to buy stuff on external sites. Worse, it confirms that Internet users must be spied upon, and "forbidden" sites must be blocked; taken together, these new measures allow the government of Belarus to exert extremely tight control over Internet users in the country. Moreover, with these systems in place, severing Belarus from the Internet for real would be relatively easy, if its government decided to take that extreme step."
The internet should be 'hands-off' regarding the Government no matter which country. One who can't comprehend this or needs to make a justification or defence of it (in defence of a particular country) is a brainwashed fool.
I guess if I ever make it to Belarus that I just won't check my foreign email when there.
Thank you,
Scott
It is jolly interesting that Dmitry LIVES in Belarus, and I visisted there for quite a long time, and both of us are telling you lot what the real situation is, yet you still prefer to believe propaganda.
All the sources that you are quoting are US or EU funded organisations that have a clearly stated agenda against the current Belarussian government. I am not saying this is a perfect government but they are not monitoring the email of tourists or anyone else.
If things were as bad as you claim, then Dmitry would no doubt complain about it.
If I had been monitored or censored I would certainly tell everyone here about it.
It's certainly ok to complain about real and genuine censorship issue.
That would be for example the "Great Chinese firewall" which I have first hand experience of from work, and which is really stifling and restrictive. Belarus has nothing like that.
And how about the one about throwing stones when you are in a glass house....?
Bradley Manning..... ? Jammie Thomas....? the list goes on. And here is the clip of the American monitoring station that spies on European internet users from England. How do you explain that?
I just get really annoyed when people spread lies about things that they really haven't got a clue about.
I am not saying I am an expert, but in contrast to Eric, Scott and Pavelov I have visitedd this country, and Dmitry K. lives there.
And Scott, if you are actually inclined to believe in this type of nonsense, then I think for your own sake that you would be wisest to simply remain in the US during your holidays instead of travelling abroad, least of all to Belarus.
You're calling me a liar? Do you even know what it means? Maybe you should open up your English textbook.
You think because someone is a citizen of their country, they can't be brainwashed about it?!? Haha.
I think gutless EU Swedes should stay in their own country. You also know nothing about IT if you simply concluded that nothing was going on. I cut the other unrelated drivel which deserves no response.
The problem is most of the citizens are brainwashed idiots who are indoctrinated for so long, they have automatic responses that are anticipated by politicians.
Lukashenko is a Bolshevik-loving Leninist. He has a statue of Lenin and worships both Lenin and Stalin. Those are facts.
USSR2 File: Belarusian police detain three oppositionists for crashing red rally, pelting Lenin monument with eggs, shouting “Communism must face trial!” Lukashenko fears US-led invasion, calls NATO “worse than Nazis” for killing Qaddafi, holds milit
He speaks all the great things that many citizens believe, 'against NATO, US military interventionist policies...' etc but is only out for himself.
While he speaks on one side, on the other, he is the hypocrite (look at what he does, not what he says). He's entertaining offers for EU membership and IMF loans. He just wants them as favorable as possible. So, more facts for you. He's the liar but you call me one. LOL
Europe’s ‘Last Dictator’ Must Choose IMF Aid or Control of Belarus Economy - Bloomberg
Belarus asked the IMF for its second bailout in two years on top of a 10-year, $3 billion loan from its former Soviet partners led by Russia, which demanded the country sell $7.5 billion of assets to receive the financing. Lukashenko, dubbed Europe’s “last dictator” by the administration of former U.S. President George W. Bush, has ruled Belarus since 1994.
I guess you are too ignorant and brainwashed along with various citizens (of which media control and Government-controlled protests play a part). Ever increasing control of the internet in this age of 'electronic information' is a natural progression for such selfish and self-centered dictators who are in bed with certain parties while scolding them in public.
Watch the movie THE SIEGE starring Annette Benning, Bruce Willis and Denzel Washington. It is about an alleged "CIA Palestinian" recruit whom his handler, Annette Benning thought to be genuine until after a series of bombing by 3 cells, it turned out that the last "CIA Palestinian" recruit was the 4th cell or 4th and last terrorist. The heroes were duped into that the Palestinian gave away the 2nd cell as a ploy to be credible. Annette died in the end but the other heroes were able to gun down the "CIA Palestinian". These are true stories fictionalized in movies. No wonder Belarus has tight restrictions. It's all about terrorism, my friends. Who knows if Lukashenko is a secret Jew. Jews are known to hide under cover as 'dictators' or 'communists'. But the truth of the matter is that they support America. I am not saying that Vladimir Putin has Jewish blood. But who knows. He is acting like one. A professional spy.
Could you please stop this anti semitic rant? It's totally unacceptable here.
I am Jewish, so I must be a secret terrorist. Your statements are simply insane.
It is not an anti-Semitic rant. They were praises for Jews who are 'professional spies' pretending to 'be dictators and communists'. Do not misquote your brother in God. That is slander.
Hanna,
Are you saying the law is not for real?
Scott
After reading what Dmitry Khomitchuk said (who after all has a personal interest in this), I am saying that the impact of the law is probably exaggerated. There is a propaganda war against Belarus so it's natural that something like this is used.
Lots of countries have more internet monitoring and censorship than Belarus.
Australia, South Korea, France, Thailand and China to mention places where you might find yourself on holiday or business. You have more reason to worry there, than in Belarus.
In the USA you should start worrying about SOPA for example (own goal by Pavelov to link to an article about that, lol!)
This map is from Wikipedia's entry on internet censorship
Wikipedia quotes
Internet censorship in Australia currently consists of a regulatory regime under which the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has the power to enforce content restrictions on Internet content hosted within Australia, and maintain a "black-list" of overseas websites which is then provided for use in filtering software.But let's get to the bottom of this.Thailand: And year by year Internet censorship has grown, with its focus shifting to lèse majesté, national security, and political issues. Estimates put the number of websites blocked at over 110,000 and growing in 2010.[71]
I have read the articles now, and just to re-assure myself, I'd like to ask anyone who is in Belarus to try three things:
1) Go to the most anti-government / anti-Lukashenko website you know of (in Russian) and make sure it is not blocked for you.
2) Go to a site that does not have a .by extension and check if you are able to buy something online. (I mean, don't actually buy anything, just check if it is possible to take the purchase up to the point of sale without actually buying.
3) Have you got unrestricted access to the site Vkontakte.ru?
If both these things are possible, then we have proved that the law is nothing to worry about.
And make no mistake - I hate internet monitoring and am all for a completely free internet. But it does not seem to me that the situation in Belarus sticks out as a big problem.
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