Censorship in Belarus

Censorship in Belarus

Freedom of press

In 2007, Reporters Without Borders ranked Belarus 151st out of 168 countries in its [http://www.rsf.org/rubrique.php3?id_rubrique=639 global press freedom listing] . Freedom House rates Belarus as "Not Free" according to its [http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=22&year=2005&country=6694 2005 global survey "Freedom in the World".] The Lukashenka regime systematically curtails press freedom, the organisation says. State media are subordinated to the president, and harassment and censorship of independent media are routine.

Internet enemies

In 2006 Reporters Without Borders listed Belarus among 13 Internet enemies [http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=19603] .

Freemuse report

Government policy divided Belarusian musicians into pro-government '‘official’' and pro-democracy '‘unofficial’' camps.

Researchers Maya Medich and Lemez Lovas reported in 2006 that "independent music-making in Belarus today is an increasingly difficult and risky enterprise", and that the Belarusian government "puts pressure on ‘unofficial’ musicians - including ‘banning’ from official media and imposing severe restrictions on live performance."

In a video interview on freemuse.org the two authors explain the mechanisms of censorship in Belarus. [http://www.freemuse.org/sw19372.asp]

Lemez Lovas and Maya Medich: 'Hidden Truths – Music, Politics and Censorship in Lukashenko’s Belarus' (Freemuse Report no. 7) [http://www.freemuse.org/sw21039.asp]

Articles on music censorship in Belarus [http://www.freemuse.org/sw1399.asp]

External links

* [http://www.freemuse.org/sw21039.asp Freemuse report]
* [http://charter97.org/eng/news/2007/05/02/ulada Belarusian Authorities to start Fighting against Satellite Dishes]