Belarus president signs tough new law on media restrictions

The authoritarian president of Belarus has signed a law sharply restricting news media activities and allowing them to be shut down without a court hearing

KYIV, Ukraine -- The authoritarian president of Belarus on Monday signed a law sharply restricting news media activities and allowing them to be shut down without a court hearing. The move by President Alexander Lukashenko came a day after the arrest of a prominent opposition journalist whose commercial flight was forcibly diverted to Belarus because of an alleged bomb threat. The arrest and flight diversion was condemned by Western countries and drew new attention to Belarus’ crackdown on media since widespread protests against Lukashenko arose last year. Under the new law, news media are banned from making live reports on unauthorized mass gatherings. It also allows the Information Ministry to order a media outlet’s closure; previously media closures required a court decision. Other strictures include prohibiting publication of the results of opinion polls that aren't authorized by the government.