Published on •Updated
Belarus’ opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya condemned Minsk’s decision on Friday to designate Euronews’ news coverage on its website as “extremist” content, describing it as a “shameful” attempt by Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s government to cut Belarusians off from its factual and independent reporting.
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“Lukashenka’s regime has branded Euronews, a leading European news platform, ‘extremist’ for bringing the truth to millions of Belarusians,” she wrote in a post on X.
“This attacks media freedom and turns viewers into targets of repression,” she added, urging the broadcaster to “stay strong” and underlining that: “your work matters.”
Earlier this week, the Belarusian information ministry placed Euronews’ website on its “Republican List of Extremist Materials,” according to Belarus-based media. The ruling is subject to immediate execution under Belarusian civil procedure rules.
The decision means access to the Euronews website will now be restricted in Belarus, while readers could face administrative penalties for storing or distributing its content. The broadcaster said the designation risks criminalising its audience as well as limiting access to its factual journalism.
Euronews has long been an important European news source for audiences in Belarus.
The latest measure follows Minsk’s removal of the channel from television broadcasts in 2021 and brings Belarus in line with Russia blocking both its broadcast and digital services just after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Claus Strunz, Euronews’ editorial director, said the outlet had not been notified of the decision and was awaiting arguments from the authorities.
“A state that brands Euronews as ‘extremist’ and blocks access to independent, impartial journalism reveals its own fear of free reporting,” Strunz said.
He added that the outlet would continue to provide “factual, independent journalism” for its audience in Belarus.
“We have not been informed of this decision and await the authorities’ justification. Our commitment remains unchanged: we stand with our audiences in Belarus and will continue to provide factual, independent journalism guided by our core editorial values.” Euronews’ editorial director said.
Belarus authorities have yet to announce the decision and the arguments that led to this extreme ruling by which Euronews and several other digital media are now labelled “extremist media” in Belarus.
The independent Belarusian Association of Journalists suggested that the suspension of Euronews broadcasts was linked to attempts to restrict access to sources of information.