Wikipedia

Andrey Bastunets

Andrey Leonidovich Bastunets (Russian: Андрей Леонидович Бастунец; born 1966) is a Belarusian lawyer, journalist, musician, and free speech activist. Bastunets was born in Minsk in 1966, he graduated from the law faculty of the BSU. Since 2015 he is the chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.[1][2][3]

Andrey Bastunets
Born1966
Minsk
OccupationFree speech activist
Years active1990s–present

Biography edit

Education and career edit

Bastunets studied at public school No. 117 in Minsk. His first attempt to enter the BSU law faculty wasn't successful so he had to find temporary employment at the Minsk Automobile Plant. He used his vacation to prepare for exams and entered the university the next year. However, during the first semester he was enlisted into the army and spent two years serving within the border troops. After the army he continued his study and graduated with honours. Since the 1990s Bastunets worked as a journalist. Between 1997 and 2000 he was a chief editor of the newspaper ‘Femida Nova’. In 1998 he was awarded with an international diploma ‘For Establishing Peace in Belarus’.[4][5] In 2001 Bastunets became a legal consultant at the Belarusian Association of Journalists.[5] In 2008-2011 he hosted the TV-show ‘I Have a Right’.[6]

Andrey Bastunets wrote and co-authored multiple researches and books on journalism, its ethics, security, media self-regulatory mechanisms, etc.[7]

In 2015 Bastunets took the post of BAJ chairman after Zhanna Litvina, who resigned after 20 years of service.[5] In autumn 2020 he entered the Belarusian opposition Coordination Council for the Transfer of Power.[8][9] Amid a growing pressure on independent media Bastunets was detained by the police, his apartment and BAJ office were searched.[10][11]

Bastunets was re-elected Chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists in April 2021.[12]

On 3 May 2022, Bastunets, as head of BAJ, received the UNESCO Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize at a ceremony in Uruguay.[13]

On 7 March 2023, the KGB of Belarus declared BAJ an "extremist formation" and banned its activities in Belarus on the basis of the Law of the Republic of Belarus No. 203-Z "On Countering Extremism", although the association was officially liquidated by the authorities in 2021 and moved all its activities abroad.[14][15] On February 6, 2023, Bastunets filed a complaint to United Nations Human Rights Council over BAJ's forced liquidation claiming that the Belarusian authorities violated the right to freedom of association under Article 22 of the ICCPR.[16]

Personal life edit

Since 2003 Bastunets is married to journalist and editor Sabina Brilo,[17] he has a son.[5]

Bastunets writes music and poetry. In the 1990s his poems were published in various periodicals, Belarusian newspaper ‘Znamya Unosti’ (trans. Flag of Youth) had his personal column. He was a member of ‘SvetoTen’ (trans. ‘Light and Shade’) poetry club. Bastunets released two albums of his songs.[18] In 2016 he published a book of poems ‘Dokazatelstva Dvizheniya’ (trans.‘Proves of Movement’).[5][19]

References edit

  1. ^ "The Profile". The Belarusian Association of Journalists. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  2. ^ Scott, L. (2021-06-25). "Belarusian Association of Journalists Under Investigation as Media Crackdown Spreads". Voice of America. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  3. ^ "Andrei Bastunets elected new head of Belarusian Association of Journalists". Euroradio. 2015-04-24. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  4. ^ "Андрей Бастунец". Facebook (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  5. ^ a b c d e Koktysh, А. (2018-01-08). "Андрей Бастунец: "Пепел Клааса стучит в мое сердце"" [Andrey Bastunets :‘Ashes of Klaas Still Knock on My Heart’] (in Russian). Belarusian Association of Journalists. Archived from the original on 2018-01-12. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  6. ^ "ЖКХ: Плесень в квартире появляется из-за толстой потной собаки" [Fat Sweaty Dog Brings Mold in House Claim Communals] (in Russian). Belsat. 2018-03-14. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  7. ^ "Экспертно-консультационный совет Общественной коллегии по жалобам на прессу" [Expert Committee of Public Board for Press Complaints] (in Russian). Public Board for Press Complaints. 2011-12-27. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  8. ^ "Председателя Белорусской ассоциации журналистов вызвали на допрос в СК" [BAJ Chairman Called for Questioning] (in Russian). Interfax. 2020-12-15. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  9. ^ Kosenko, P. (2020-09-07). ""Власть практически ежедневно пишет негативный сценарий своей книги"" [Authorities Keep Writing Negative Scenario] (in Russian). Kommersant. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  10. ^ "Беларусь: Репрессии не утихают" [Belarus: Growing Repressions] (in Russian). Human Rights Watch. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  11. ^ "Силовики пришли в БАЖ, к правозащитникам и журналистам" (in Russian). BAJ. 2021-01-16. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  12. ^ "Андрей Бастунец обратился в КПЧ ООН по поводу ликвидации БАЖ". Reform.by. 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  13. ^ "Белорусской ассоциации журналистов вручили премию UNESCO за вклад в свободу прессы". Belsat.eu. 2022-05-03. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  14. ^ "КГБ Беларуси признал Белорусскую ассоциацию журналистов «экстремистским формированием»" [The Belarusian KGB recognised the Belarusian Association of Journalists as an "extremist formation"] (in Russian). RFI. 2023-03-07. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  15. ^ "Belarus: Belarusian Association of Journalists designated as "extremist formation"". FIDH. 2023-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  16. ^ "Andrei Bastunets lodges individual complaint to UN HRC over BAJ's forced liquidation". BAJ. 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  17. ^ Tkacheva, T. (2018-05-17). "Фотопроект. Супруги, которые вместе уже много лет" [Photoproject ‘Spouses, Who Stay Together for years’] (in Russian). Zviazda. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  18. ^ Tkacheva, T. (2018-08-31). "Андрей Бастунец: Искусство — это то, что помогает нам примириться с жизнью" (in Russian). BAJ. Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
  19. ^ "Председатель БАЖ Андрей Бастунец выпустил книгу стихов и готовит к печати роман" (in Russian). «Наша Нiва». 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2021-11-17.
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