BAJ Declaration of Principles on the Journalist Ethics

RESPECTING our profession and understanding its great social importance;

BEING GUIDED by the intention to strengthen public confidence in mass media as one of the democracy maintaining institutions;

ACKNOWLEDGING the IFJ Declaration of Principles on the Conduct of Journalists as a standard of professional behavior while obtaining, storing, disseminating and commenting on information;

UNDERSTANDING that the profession imposes great responsibility on journalists; members of the Belarusian Association of Journalists declare that they will observe the following principles of the professional ethics:

RESPECT the public’s right to know the truth, remembering at the same time that none has a monopoly over the truth.

PROTECT the right to obtain and disseminate information and freedom of expression.

STRIVE FOR maximum accuracy of information, in-depth and true argumentation while expressing opinions.

ADMIT publicly and consciously one’s own mistake.

CONSIDER unacceptable plagiarism, intentional misrepresentation and misinterpretation, ungrounded accusations, acceptance of a bribe for dissemination or refusal to disseminate some information.

RESPECT other peoples’ points of view and foster public discussion in mass media.

PREVENT racial, national, religious, sex, gender, political and other kinds of discrimination.

PROTECT rights and interests of third parties while seeking, storing and disseminating information.

PROTECT confidentiality of sources of information.

NOT TO PLEASE authorities, but remember that one of the functions of the mass media is to control authorities’ actions.

EXPRESS solidarity with the colleagues who are persecuted for journalist activities.

STICK TO the jurisdiction of the journalistic community and try to solve conflicts with colleagues avoiding authorities’ intervention.

Last updated on 04.05.2018.