Dating websites in Belarus under pressure

The owner of the dating website Amur.by was summoned to the police and accused of operating without a licence. Last year a resolution was issued in Belarus in accordance with which any activity that is linked with the collection and distribution of information on private individuals for acquaintance purposes is subject to licensing. The administration of the website explains that it is not involved in the collection of information. This resource, as with many others, takes information from the database of the Russian Internet dating service Mamba.ru. Amur.by owners stress that their aim is not to establish unions of marriage. However, if the owner of Amur.by is found to be a "marriage agency" and penalized under Article 154 of the Republic of Belarus Administrative Offences Code, it may have its domain taken away.