(Dieser Artikel ist auch in deutscher Sprache verfügbar)

On 25 March 2006, several Belarusian web-sites: ucpb.org, svaboda.org, charter97.org, belhelcom.org, belaruspartisan.org, gazetaby.com and livejournal.com providing independent news and information were unavailable from 9.00 till 16.00 within the country borders.

Belarusian authorities have the technical and legal possibility to restrict access because of Beltelecom monopoly. According to article 44 of the national Law On Electronic Communication adopted in 2005: " The national operator of electronic communications is the operator having the duties of the mandatory rendering of the universal electronic communications services on the whole territory of the Republic of Belarus according to the instructions of the Ministry of Communication and Information of the Republic of Belarus, and who will have the exclusive right for passage of the international traffic and connection to the electronic communications networks of the foreign states. "

Amendments to the law are planned to be made in order to meet WTO membership requirements. However, there are no plans to make any changes in the above article.

Belarusian authorities restrict internet access (26.03.2007)
http://www.e-belarus.org/news/200703261.html

EDRI-gram: Censorship in Belarusian Internet cafes (28.02.2007)
http://www.edri.org/edrigram/number5.4/belarus

(Thanks to Mikhail Doroshevich - e-belarus.org)