Belarus to Implement Controls over Internet

Belarus' President Alexander Lukashenko announced new legislation that:

"...would require the registration and identification of all online publications and of each Web user, including visitors to Internet cafes. Web service providers would have to report this information to police, courts and special services."

Belarus to toughen control over Internet

Radio Free Europe Websites Hit by DoS Attacks

Several websites owned by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) have been shutdown by denial of service attacks in recent days.

RFE/RL stated the attacks started on the website for Belarus service and spread to other RFE/RL sites and other organizations in Minsk.

RFE/RL believe the attacks are attempts by regional governments to censor news:

"RFE/RL President Jeffrey Gedmin said he is deeply concerned by the attacks. "If free and independent media existed in these countries where we're working and broadcasting, we would have no reason to exist," Gedmin said. "The Belarusians, the Iranians -- they all have basically the same objective. They see free information -- flowing information of ideas and so forth -- as the oxygen of civil society. They'll do anything they can to cut it off. If it means jamming, if it means cyberattacks, that's what they'll do."

US radio websites in Eastern Europe hit by cyberattack: bosses

Other related articles:

Belarus: RFE/RL Cites Online 'Solidarity' in Face of Cyberattack

U.S. Denounces Attack On RFE/RL Websites