Accents

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made a global call to support independent media and journalists on the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus (February 9). February 9 will mark 1.5 years of peaceful protest against violence, lawlessness, and state terror in Belarus. "While the resistance of millions of Belarusians continues underground in various creative forms, independent media are at the forefront of the struggle. Courageous journalists, bloggers, and influential media figures keep up working in the country and exile, despite severe repression and personal insecurity."

As the crackdown on independent media in Belarus continues for a third consecutive year, the state of journalism in the country is dire. With only a handful of independent journalists remaining within the country working anonymously, and 32 of their colleagues behind bars, the future of journalism in Belarus looks bleak. The Fix analysed the state of Belarusian independent media at the end of 2022 – and tried to find bright spots.

In the World Press Freedom Index, Belarus ranks 153 out of 180. In terms of the number of journalists in detention, it is one of the five countries with the worst situation in the world. Both rankings are based on the findings of Reporters Without Borders. In an interview with BAJ, Jeanne Cavelier, head of this NGO’s Eastern Europe and Central Asia Desk, shared how the situation in Belarus is currently assessed.