{"id":136608,"date":"2025-05-03T20:47:48","date_gmt":"2025-05-03T17:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/136608\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"eu-uk-demand-from-belarus-to-protect-media-freedom","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/136608\/","title":{"rendered":"EU, UK urge Belarus to restore media freedom"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\n \"\"\n
\n \n
\n (baj.media)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

May 3, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>A government that bans free media is a government that does not trust its people, says a joint statement<\/a> by the embassies of several democratic countries on World Press Freedom Day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The diplomatic missions of the European Union and the United Kingdom along with the embassies of Germany, Lithuania, Sweden and others have shared it on their social media pages, stressing the crucial role of independent media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJournalists and media professionals are systematically persecuted, imprisoned on trumped-up charges and their families and friends harassed. They face draconian sentences of up to 14 years in prison just for doing their job,\u201d the statement reads, noting that Belarus ranked 166th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diplomats urged Minsk to fulfil its international obligations and allow a free and independent press as well as release all political prisoners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the 2020 political crisis, more than 500 Belarusian journalists have been persecuted on political grounds. At least 40 media workers remain behind bars, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"
\n

RSF Press Freedom Index ranks Belarus in bottom 15<\/h3>\n
May 2,\u00a0Pozirk.\u00a0Belarus\u00a0ranks 166th of 180 assessed countries and territories in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, compiled by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). The ranking placed Belarus between Cuba and Azerbaijan, stressing that the country continues a massive crackdown on independent …<\/div>\n \n