European Parliament Vice-President Pavel Telička, who represents the Czech Republic and is responsible for human rights and democracy, met in Brussels on February 28 with the editor of Charter97.org, Natallia Radzina.
The two discussed the website’s ban in Belarus and the measures MEPs can take against the blocking of the popular independent site.
Telička stressed that after the blocking of the website, the popularity of Russian propaganda resources significantly increased. He also said more Belarusians are being subject to Russian propaganda.
At the meeting, they also discussed a possibility of introduction of sanctions on persons responsible for the site blocking, including Information Minister Aliaksandr Karlyukevich, Deputy Minister of Information (Director General of Stolichnoye Televidenie TV channel) Ihar Lutski and the head of the Operative Analytical Centre at the Lukashenka Administration Andrei Paulyuchenka.
Telička said he would send a request to the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Frederica Mogherini and bring to her notice information on consequences of the blocking of the website in Belarus.
The website is named after Charter 97, which is a declaration calling for democracy.
