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Beltelecom denies link between newspaper's website shutdown and Lukashenka's edict

Beltelecom, Belarus' state telecommunications monopolist, has dismissed speculation that a private newspaper in Vitsyebsk had its website blocked in pursuance of Alyaksandr Lukashenka's controversial edict earlier this month.

Beltelecom pulled the plug on the website of Vitebsky Kuryer on the night between July 5 and 6 and shareholder Volha Karach linked the move to the paper's failure to register the website as required by the edict.

When reached by BelaPAN, the Beltelecom press office said that it was the newspaper that had terminated its contract with the hosting service run by the state company.

Beltelecom was notified of the contract termination by the company that publishes Vitebsky Kuryer on June 30, according to the press office.

The notice said that the decision to have the website shut down had been made at a general meeting of Vitebsky Kuryer shareholders.