{"id":141502,"date":"2025-06-05T18:35:20","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T15:35:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/141502\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T18:35:22","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T15:35:22","slug":"belarus-cracks-down-on-wikipedia-editors-in-attempt-to-enforce-censorship","status":"publish","type":"longreads","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/longreads\/141502\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus cracks down on Wikipedia editors in attempt to enforce censorship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Belarusian security agencies have arrested numerous Wikipedia contributors in what appears to be an effort to impose tighter censorship on the free encyclopedia.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\n (Steve Buissinne \/ Pixabay)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In May, police detained Maksim Lepu\u0161enka, a Wikipedia administrator since 2007, and Volha Sitnik, an editor. Other editors and admins previously arrested include Kazimier Lachnovi\u010d, Stary Jolup, Mark Biern\u0161tejn, and U\u0142adzis\u0142a\u016d \u010cachovi\u010d. \u010cachovi\u010d was charged with distributing extremist content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022, Pavie\u0142 Piernika\u016d was sentenced to two years in prison for allegedly discrediting Belarus through his Wikipedia contributions on the murders of journalist Vieranika \u010carkasava and opposition supporter Hienad\u017a \u0160uta\u016d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The true number of editors and admins targeted may be higher, as human rights groups are unable to document all cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the government disapproves of Wikipedia, it has not gone so far as to block access to the site in Belarus. While many independent media outlets have been censored or blocked, Wikipedia remains accessible without a VPN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source of independent information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Wikipedia articles are generally neutral, free of emotional language, and cite multiple sources\u2014both official and independent. For example, the article on Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka references information from the state-run BelTA<\/em> news agency alongside reporting from independent outlets such as tut.by<\/em>, BelaPAN<\/em>, Radyjo Svaboda<\/em>, and Na\u0161a Niva<\/em>. While the government has designated these independent media as \u201cextremist groups,\u201d it has not censored Wikipedia for linking to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With around 1.2 million monthly users, Wikipedia is among the top 10 most visited websites in Belarus. Its articles often appear among the top search results. For instance, searches for the 2020 post-election protests or the imprisoned opposition politician Maryja Kale\u015bnikava will typically return Wikipedia pages\u2014while state propaganda links rarely appear on the first page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka can ill-afford to ban Wikipedia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian government cannot compel Wikipedia to publish only state-approved information or remove entries it disapproves of. Although it could block access to the platform entirely, it has refrained from doing so\u2014likely aware of the potential backlash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Political content comprises only a small portion of Wikipedia. Most visitors use the site to read about history, technology, health, culture, cars and other non-political topics. Wikipedia\u2019s user-friendly format also makes it preferable to many Belarusians, even in the age of AI. Blocking it would not only risk public discontent but might also alienate government supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The authorities have likewise avoided blocking YouTube, despite labeling some of its popular content as extremist. The platform garners hundreds of thousands of views in Belarus. Full censorship in such cases would carry significant political costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authoritarian regimes like China and Iran have blocked YouTube entirely. Russia has slowed it down and banned Facebook and Instagram, designating them as extremist organizations. But unlike Russian President Vladimir Putin\u2014who reportedly enjoys support from two-thirds of Russians\u2014\u0141uka\u0161enka, with far less public backing, cannot afford similarly unpopular actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternative platforms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While Russia has created its own digital alternatives\u2014such as VK (a social network), RuTube (a video-sharing platform), and Ruwiki (a censored version of Wikipedia that excludes references to so-called “foreign agents”)\u2014Belarus\u2019s efforts to build state-controlled alternatives have fallen flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the summer of 2024, Belarusian state media launched videobel.by<\/em>, a site hosting state media productions. However, it lacks basic engagement features such as comments, likes, view counters and user accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November 2024, Sofja Samuel of the Belaruskaja Incyklapedyja<\/em> team, which maintains the print edition of the Belarusian Encyclopedia, announced government funding for a \u201cfull, accurate, and verified\u201d online version. Yet the resulting website, belarussenc.by<\/em>, remains underdeveloped. Its \u201cPersonalities\u201d section, for instance, still lacks an entry for \u0141uka\u0161enka.

This article was written for a 2024\u201325 collection of analytical pieces compiled by Pozirk. The full collection will be released soon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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