The Paris-based WAN and the WEF said the elections "cannot be credible" following the closure of the newspapers.

The most recent case involves The Regional newspaper in Molodechno, which was closed on 29 September. The Information Ministry ordered it to close for three months, claiming that the newspaper breached its publishing licence by inserting a television guide into the newspaper.

"We are seriously concerned that the reason given for the closure of the Regional Newspaper is entirely spurious and that the real reason for the government’s action is its coverage of the 17 October elections and referendum on your proposed extension of the presidential mandate," said the letter from WAN and the WEF.

"The closure appears to be part of a concerted campaign by the authorities to suppress critical voices in the run-up to the elections; at least four other newspapers have been closed down by the state in recent months."

The letter said:

"We are writing on behalf of the World Association of Newspapers and the World Editors Forum, which represent 18,000 publications in 100 countries, to express our alarm at the closure of the Regional Newspaper and four other independent publications in the run-up to the October elections, which cannot be credible in such circumstances.

"According to reports, on 29 September the Regional Newspaper, an independent publication in the town of Molodechno, received a notice from the information ministry ordering its closure for three months. The ministry claimed that the paper was in breach of its publishing licence, alleging that it was publishing two newspapers, as the television guide insert qualified as a separate periodical.

"We are seriously concerned that the reason given for the closure of the Regional Newspaper is entirely spurious and that the real reason for the government’s action is its coverage of the 17 October elections and referendum on your proposed extension of the presidential mandate. The closure appears to be part of a concerted campaign by the authorities to suppress critical voices in the run-up to the elections; at least four other newspapers have been closed down by the state in recent months.

"Satirical newspaper Navinki was closed by the information ministry for three months on 27 August for failing to notify the ministry of its new address and publication schedule. On 16 August the independent weekly Novaya Gazeta Smorgoni, in the western town of Smorgon, was suspended for three months.

"Rabochaya Solidarnost was closed permanently on 2 August after the Supreme Court dissolved its founder, the Belarus Labour Party, and two days later the printing of independent daily Narodnaya Volya was suspended for the newspaper’s alleged failure to pay damages to a former head of state television and businessman.

"We respectfully remind you that the closure of the Regional Newspaper and other publications constitutes a clear breach of the right to freedom of expression, which is guaranteed by numerous international conventions, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 19 of the Declaration states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media, regardless of frontiers."

"We respectfully call on you to ensure that the orders closing the Regional Newspaper and all other publications are immediately rescinded. We urge you to take all necessary steps to ensure that in future your country fully respects international standards of freedom of expression."

More WAN protests can be found here.

WAN, the global organisation for the newspaper industry, defends and promotes press freedom world-wide. It represents 18,000 newspapers; its membership includes 72 national newspaper associations, individual newspaper executives in 102 countries, 13 news agencies and ten regional and world-wide press groups.

The WEF is the organisation for editors within the World Association of Newspapers (www.editorsweblog.org).

Inquiries to: Larry Kilman, Director of Communications, WAN, 7 rue Geoffroy St Hilaire, 75005 Paris France. Tel: +33 1 47 42 85 00. Fax: +33 1 47 42 49 48. Mobile: +33 6 10 28 97 36. E-mail: lkilman@wan.asso.fr.