BelCel mobile operator blocks opposition websites and blogs

• 6.01.2012, 10:26

Internet censorship was found in regions.

Salihorsk clients of BelCel mobile network operator (trademark DIALLOG™) say about illegal blocking of independent websites by the provider.

“I subscribed for Diallog in late December and found blocked access to Charter’97, Belorusski Partizan sites and Lipkovich’s LJ blog,” a local activist, Ivan Shyla, says. “I called the technical support to ask why access was restricted. They did not deny the fact of blocking and promised to lift the block personally for me. They asked to send them a request on email.

But censoring of websites was not stopped even after a special electronic letter. Shyla could obtain lifting the block only after a telephone call to the technical support and threats to go to court.

It should be noted that websites filtering for individuals can be performed only on user’s request. Arbitrary blocking by an ISP is illegal, Viasna human rights centre notes.