Belarus joins Russia’s war on freedom of information
Belarusian authorities have officially designated the Euronews website as 'extremist,' effectively banning access to its digital platforms within the country. This move follows a previous 2021 ban on the channel's television broadcasts and aligns with similar censorship measures taken by Russia.
Why it matters
This represents a significant escalation in the suppression of independent media and freedom of information in Eastern Europe.
Belarus' decision to ban the Euronews website by designating it as “extremist” and adding it to its “Republican List of Extremist Materials” marks a new escalation by authorities in Minsk in their crackdown on independent media and free speech.The Belarus Ministry of Information’s move, reported by Belarus-based media, resulted in the immediate restriction of access to Euronews’ digital platforms in the country’s territory, as shown by Euronews’ real-time traffic-monitoring systems.As of Saturday, Belarus has still not communicated its decision to Euronews, which was reportedly taken on 4 August - nor has it outlined the reasoning behind it.The Ministry of Information had already banned Euronews’ television broadcasts in April 2021 following its coverage of nationwide protests against Belarusian leader Aliaksandr Lukashenka.The Belarus government's official argument then was that Euronews’ broadcasting license had expired and that the channel was publishing adverts in English rather than translating them into Russian or Belarusian in…
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