Studio Free Press Matters: Oppression in Belarus
Belarus has one of the most oppressive media climates in the world. The Presidential elections in August 2020 and the following protests has put press freedom under even more pressure. In 2021, the massive campaign against independent media has continued rapidly.
The Belarusian government is enacting a broad campaign against press and media freedom. New media laws are being installed, and dissident voices repressed. Since August 2020 more than 30,000 people have been arbitrarily detained, including more than 500 journalists. The crackdown on media has resulted in at least 34 journalists behind bars and more than 20 websites blocked.
In Studio Free Press Matters, Anu Nettar talks with Free Press Unlimited's Maria Sadouskaya-Kamlach and with special guest Hanna Yahorava, Director of United MassMedia, about the current situation for journalists and people in Belarus.