{"id":167437,"date":"2025-12-09T16:46:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T13:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167437\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"belarus-worlds-fourth-largest-prison-for-journalists-rsf","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167437\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus world\u2019s fourth largest prison for journalists \u2013 RSF"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Marco Chilese \/ unsplash.com)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

December 9, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>This year, Belarus ranked in the top four countries by the number of imprisoned journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On December 1,503 media workers were held behind bars in 47 countries worldwide. Belarus ranked fourth with 33 jailed media workers after China, which leads the ranking with 121 imprisoned journalists, followed by Russia with 48 and Myanmar with 47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The situation in Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Belarus highlights the serious threats to press freedom in the former Soviet bloc, the RSF noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the start of 2025, 67 journalists have been killed while carrying out their work, including at least 53 in connection with war or organized crime, the report said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk has been ignoring calls by democratic countries and advocacy groups to respect its international obligations and allow a free and independent press.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RSF has been compiling its annual report on abuses against journalists since 1995. It covers professional journalists and other media workers whose arrests, abductions, disappearances or deaths are a direct result of their journalistic work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also read: Interior ministry brands jailed journalist Ilja\u0161, 23 others as extremists <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

IFJ calls for immediate release of jailed Belarusian journalists<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

December 9, Pozirk. This year, Belarus ranked in the top four countries by the number of imprisoned journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said in its annual report. On December 1,503 media workers were held behind bars in 47 countries worldwide. Belarus ranked fourth with 33 jailed media workers after China, which leads the ranking with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":58226,"template":"","rubric":[14,13],"class_list":["post-167437","articles","type-articles","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","rubric-politics","rubric-society"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBelarus world\u2019s fourth largest prison for journalists \u2013 RSF | Pozirk<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"December 9, Pozirk. 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