Belarusian media

Most of the Belarusian media outlets (newspapers, radio, television) are owned by the state and are very anti-Western, in general. and anti-Poland specifically. While there are some privately owned media outlets, generally small indepedent newspapers that are closed down for violating various minor government regulations such as mis-stating their corporate name on their publication or operating out of an office not registered with the government. The state-controlled media are used by the government to spread propaganda, much as had been done during the times of the Soviet Union.

Table of contents

1 Free expression limited in Belarus 2 Examples of Belarusian propaganda 3 External links

Free expression limited in Belarus

Many western human rights groups state that the civil rights of free expression are severely limited in Belarus, though there are some individuals and groups that refuse to be controlled and some of the journalists have disappeared or faced ideological correction in Belarusian work camps. What makes the situation complex, however, is that the relatively free Russian media is allowed to transmit television programming, sell newspapers and conduct journalistic activities in Belarus (though some Russian journalists have been expelled by the Belarusian government) thus giving some members of the public, typically those in large cities with many Russian residents, access to an alternative point of view in the Russian language (most city dwelling Belarusians speak and understand Russian, as opposed to rural Belarusians who speak their own native Belarusian language).

Examples of Belarusian propaganda

Probably the most amusing and absurd examples of Belarusian propaganda are terrorist stories. These alleged "terrorists" are going to overthrown President Aleksandr Lukashenko and turn Belarus into a Western colony.

Of course, the state controlled media in Belarus deny that there is any bias or censoring of freedom of expression in Belarus and they point to the Belarusian people's overwelming re-election of Lukashenko (also known as Luka) on September 9, 2001 show that the anti-democracy sentiment in Belarus is genuine and that the Belarusian people can say anything they want, they just do not want to criticize their government because it is doing such a good job running the country (even though the standard of living of Belarus is one of the lowest in the world). Once outside Belarus and free of fear of reprisals most Belarusians are vocal in their discontent with the Soviet style system that prevents free enterprise and democracy from taking root in Belarus as it has in neighboring post Soviet countries.

See also : Belarus, Politics of Belarus

External links

Non-state controlled media and criticism:

• http://www.charter97.org/eng/news/ Pro-democracy alternative Belarus news blog
• http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/europe4.html Human Rights Watch 2002 Belarus Report
• http://www.zubr-belarus.com/index.php?lang=2 "Bison" Youth Protest Movement
• http://www.osce.org/belarus/ OSCE office in Belarus
• http://www.ilhr.org/ilhr/regional/belarus/index.html International League of Human Rights Belarus Project

Statement from the Belarusian Embassy to the U.S. on Mass Media in Belarus:

• http://www.belarusembassy.org/media/index.htm