{"id":153694,"date":"2025-09-03T17:32:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T14:32:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/153694\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"information-ministry-enlists-orthodox-church-in-censorship","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/153694\/","title":{"rendered":"Information ministry enlists Orthodox Church in censorship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Leonardo Baldissara \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

September 3, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> The information ministry and the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church have amended their cooperation agreement to expand the Church\u2019s role in censorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The updated accord envisions joint efforts to counter \u201cnegative work that can be carried out through publications coming from abroad,\u201d Patriarchy Exarch Vienjamin, who signed the amendment, was quoted by the Exarchate as saying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information Minister Marat Marka\u016d emphasized that many books printed outside the country \u201care at variance with our values or contain direct propaganda of values we must avoid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have always worked together with the Union of Writers of Belarus to monitor the [information] space,\u201d Marka\u016d added. \u201cNow we will also cooperate with the Belarusian Orthodox Church in this area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ministry banned 18 books in May and 31 more in August. Officially, it prohibits materials that \u201cdistort historical truth and justice, promote non-traditional sexual relations, religious intolerance, violence, cruelty, and pornography; incite enmity and hatred; encourage non-traditional subcultures in Belarusian society; or include sexual education for children that may negatively affect their physical and psychological development and distort views on true family values.\u201d In practice, however, the ministry also targets political content, banning books with dissenting perspectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian Exarchate and the pro-government Union of Writers of Belarus established the Public Morality Council in 2009 \u201cto preserve and strengthen society\u2019s moral values and traditions, based on the centuries-old creative, spiritual, and cultural experience of the Belarusian people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, the council banned a theater production titled My Husband\u2019s Mistresses<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Information minister defends censorship, wants to step up propaganda<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus\u2019 morality council bans its first theater show<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

September 3, Pozirk. The information ministry and the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church have amended their cooperation agreement to expand the Church\u2019s role in censorship. The updated accord envisions joint efforts to counter \u201cnegative work that can be carried out through publications coming from abroad,\u201d Patriarchy Exarch Vienjamin, who signed the amendment, was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":153688,"template":"","rubric":[15],"class_list":["post-153694","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nInformation ministry enlists Orthodox Church in censorship | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"September 3, Pozirk. 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