Belarus: Press Freedom
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of media freedom in Belarus; and what steps she is taking to support independent journalists and media organisations operating in and reporting on that country.
Answered by Stephen Doughty
Media freedom in Belarus remains severely restricted, with recent steps such as the designation of BBC Russian‑language content as "extremist material" underlining the ongoing deterioration. The UK supports independent journalists and media organisations through our wider work on human rights and media freedom, including engagement with civil society and support for organisations in exile.
We also raise our concerns in international fora, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN, and support programmes to strengthen media resilience and the safety of journalists, including through our wider work as current co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition.
The Prime Minister and I met Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya this month to reiterate UK support for the democratic rights of the Belarusian people.
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