A decision by Belarus earlier this week to place Euronews on its list of "extremist" media and ban access to the channel has sparked a wave of support for the media organisation across the continent.
“The Lukashenka regime’s decision to brand Euronews an 'extremist' media outlet is not an act of strength. It is an admission of fear,” said George Papandreou, a former Prime Minister of Greece and current General Rapporteur on Democracy for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
“Authoritarian regimes do not fear the media-they fear the media they cannot control. They fear independent journalism because it empowers free citizens with facts instead of propaganda.”
Earlier this week, the Belarusian information ministry placed Euronews’ website on its "Republican List of Extremist Materials," according to Belarus-based media. The ruling is subject to immediate execution under Belarusian civil procedure rules.
The decision means access to the Euronews website will now be restricted in Belarus, while readers could face administrative penalties for storing or distributing its content.
