International journalism organizations call on the EU to waive visas for Belarusian journalists seeking refuge from war and repression

March 15, BPN. International journalism organizations called on the EU member states to waive visas for Belarusian journalists seeking refuge from war and repression, as well as for Russian journalists fleeing their country, says a statement on the website of the European Center for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF).

Journalism organizations call on the EU to set a global example of support for media freedom in crisis.

The statement focuses on the repression of Russian independent media. It notes that more than 150 Russian journalists have left the country, fearing for their safety and their liberty. With the crackdown showing no signs of abating, more are likely to follow.

The statement points out that independent Belarusian journalists have been subjected to repressions by Aliaksandr Lukašenka for the past year and a half. Mass arrests and the threat of criminal prosecution led to an exodus of Belarusian journalists, including into neighbouring Ukraine. While Ukrainian journalists fleeing the war currently enjoy visa waivers, their Belarusian colleagues are trapped and are unable to seek safety within the EU’s borders, the statement notes.

The authors of the statement commend the EU support for relocated Ukrainian journalists, asking for and a similar demonstration of European unity in helping independent Russian and Belarusian journalists now.

If they are allowed to rebuild their newsrooms in exile, “these independent media may stand a chance of survival,” the statement says.

Signatories include ECPMF, European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Press Institute (IPI), and others.