Euronews has criticized the Belarusian authorities’ decision to designate its website as “extremist.” Editorial Director Claus Strunz said the decision was made without notifying the broadcaster.
“A state that brands Euronews as “extremist” and blocks access to independent, impartial journalism reveals its own fear of free reporting,” he said.
According to Strunz, the editorial team expects the Belarusian authorities to explain the reasons behind the decision.
“We have not been informed of this decision and await the authorities’ justification. Our commitment remains unchanged: we stand with our audiences in Belarus and will continue to provide factual, independent journalism guided by our core editorial values,” he added.
Euronews broadcasting in Belarus was discontinued in 2021. At the time, the official reason given was “violations of advertising legislation.” The Belarusian Association of Journalists said the decision was linked to restricting access to independent sources of information. The latest decision extends those restrictions to the broadcaster’s digital platform.
As previously reported, Belarus’ Information Ministry added the Euronews website to the Republican List of Extremist Materials. The decision was issued on Aug. 4 by the Horki District Court of the Mahiliou Region.
