{"id":11300,"date":"2021-12-12T01:50:50","date_gmt":"2021-12-11T22:50:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/api.pozirk.online\/longreads\/belarus-free-media-keep-working-despite-attacks\/"},"modified":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T20:29:13","slug":"belarus-free-media-keep-working-despite-attacks","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/11300\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus\u2019 free media keep working despite attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n <span>By Pa\u016dliuk Byko\u016dski<\/span>\n<\/p>\n<p>\n <b>The Belarusian ruling regime is hostile toward the media it cannot control and is looking to silence critical voices in the run-up to a constitutional referendum coming up in late February.&nbsp; <\/b>\n<\/p>\n<p> <b> <\/b><\/p>\n<p>\n\t Authorities have blocked access to most free media websites, declared some media \u201cextremist material,\u201d while Belsat TV and BelaPAN have been labeled extremist groups. As many as 31 journalists are in jail, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), an outlawed media freedom group.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<h2> <span>Authorities portray free media as enemies<\/span> <\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Belarusian authorities have always labeled the private media oppositionists. After the government suppressed 2020 post-election protests, Aliaksandr Luka\u0161enka and state-controlled media often use the word \u201cescapees\u201d in reference to opposition leaders and journalists. State propaganda portrays its competitors as foreign agents detached from Belarus.&nbsp;&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Discreditation and attacks on journalists and media outlets have been relentless. Many Belarusians may be unaware of the existence of any free media in the country. That somewhat demoralizes some opponents of the regime. But free media are still up and running.\n<\/p>\n<h2> <span>Disfigured media landscape<\/span> <\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Belarus lacks conditions for democratic elections because free political debate is impossible in the current atmosphere of fear and oppression.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t People openly expressing their political views risk being arrested. The persecution of dissidents has forced Belarusian media not to name commentators and pundits in their publications.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t But free media, including local voices, still exist in Belarus, although most have been denied access to printing plants. Some media, including onliner.by, have stopped criticizing authorities and avoid discussing politics, while others, such as Narodnaja Volia, have not altered their editorial policy. The latter does not have access to printing plants and is available online only.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Approximately 300 journalists have fled the country for fear of persecution, the BAJ estimates. Some journalists do not use their real names to byline articles. About five media outlets are in the process of relocation to Georgia, Lithuania, Poland or Ukraine.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Still, most journalists stay in Belarus. The BAJ has more than 1,300 members.\n<\/p>\n<h2> <span>Financial challenges<\/span> <\/h2>\n<p>\n\t Exiled journalists interviewed said they had left the country temporarily and would return as soon as they have an opportunity to do so. But they are planning their work abroad for at least 12 months ahead.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Exiled media are struggling to regain financial stability now that they have mostly lost advertising revenues. Media outlets raise funds through donations on Patreon and other crowdfunding platforms.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Support from donors and fund-raising training are crucial for survival. The Belarusian government has banned media from receiving foreign financial assistance. Some media managers forced to flee the country are not familiar with mechanisms for obtaining grants.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t Media left in Belarus are on the verge and often have to experiment with new business models. But some media managers are optimistic. They note that this is not the first crisis they are going through.\n<\/p>\n<p>\n\t In general, observers say that the free media are holding up well and have shown resilience during Luka\u0161enka\u2019s 27 years in power.&nbsp;\n<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Pa\u016dliuk Byko\u016dski The Belarusian ruling regime is hostile toward the media it cannot control and is looking to silence critical voices in the run-up to a constitutional referendum coming up in late February.&nbsp; Authorities have blocked access to most free media websites, declared some media \u201cextremist material,\u201d while Belsat TV and BelaPAN have been [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":0,"template":"","rubric":[22],"class_list":["post-11300","longreads","type-longreads","status-publish","hentry","rubric-theviewer"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.5 - 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