BelaPAN Reporter Forced to Leave an International Health Conference
Alena Spasiuk got accredited upon entrance to the international conference on health and environment as a reporter of BelaPAN news agency; however, five minutes later, administration of the Republican Research and Practical Center demanded her to leave the room of the meeting.
The conference On Health and Environment has taken place on October 27 — 28 and was dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the sanitary and epidemic service of Belarus. The event was announced publicly on the website of the center; the terms for accreditation have not been defined.
Alena Spasiuk entered the venue with the official accreditation of the news agency. However, five minutes later, two representatives of the Research and practical Center came up and asked her to leave, arguing they expected only invited journalists. She refused, after which deputy chair of maintenance department Henadz Loseu warned that he would call the police and escorted her out of the building.
BelaPAN news agency filed a request to Siarhei Sychyk, the head of the center, asking to consider the actions of his subordinates, and to instruct them on principles of work with mass media regarding the principle of openness of state bodies. Analogical letters were sent to the Minister of Health Vasil Zharko and the Minister of Information Liliya Ananich.