Information minister defends censorship, wants to step up propaganda

May 4, Pozirk. State censorship of the media is a necessary element in securing law-abiding behavior, Information Minister Marat Markaŭ has said during his appearance on a cooking show broadcast today by the state-run STV.
“Somewhere, we even went along with those wonderful promises that the West made to us before 2020. . . . the fairy tales about democracy, independence, freedom of speech and so on, but I’d say directly, in Russian, that it was nonsense,” he said.
“What they [the West] are doing now, is not just censorship, it is a severe infringement of freedom of speech. If they do not benefit from the information, they just suppress it,” he added, without giving any specific examples.
The official accused independent media of working to “destroy” Belarus until 2020 and pushing the country to a “Ukrainian scenario” five years ago. “When it was necessary to take drastic measures, we took them. Call it censorship if you please.”
“Our opponents continue to create information resources that will try to destabilize the country,” Markaŭ said, hinting that in response, Minsk would strengthen its long-term propaganda effort ahead of the 2030 presidential election.
Many independent media outlets were branded extremist groups for political reasons in Belarus after the disputed 2020 presidential election. Belarusian authorities keep silencing critical voices, equating criticism, solidarity, advocacy, the free media and free expression to extremism and terrorism.
This year, Belarus ranked 166th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. At least 40 media workers remain behind bars, according to the Belarusian Association of Journalists.
Minsk has been ignoring calls by democratic countries and advocacy groups to respect its international obligations and allow a free and independent press.
- Politics, SocietyBelarusian Red Cross facilitates transfer of Ukrainian refugees to RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsCichanoŭskaja criticizes Łukašenka's unwillingness to let freed prisoners stayThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyBelarusians detained at underground tobacco factory in LithuaniaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsHuman rights lawyers’ union declared extremistThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁatuška slams Łukašenka for rejecting dialogue with oppositionThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityŁukašenka praises Trump as mediator between Moscow, KyivThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsRights groups declare 10 new political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- PoliticsCase of fifth deceased WW2 criminal sent to Supreme CourtThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsInterior ministry adds 42 to extremist listThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus restricts apple exports for six monthsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsKGB brands four regime critics as terroristsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsŁukašenka to attend SCO summit in ChinaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsReprisals: protestant priest given prison term in Biełaruski Hajun caseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- Politics
- SocietySCC uncovers over 500 crimes in H1The material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBiełstat to use AI for census processingThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyRussia: Belarusian workers deny forced labor claimsThe material is available only to POZIRK+