Belarus prohibits German wave: DW Belarus classified as an extremist organization

Belarus prohibits German wave: DW Belarus classified as an extremist organization

The authoritarian government of Belarus has banned the Belarusian offer of the German Welle (DW). According to the transmitter, the offshoot DW Belarus is now classified by the Interior Ministry in Minsk as an extremist organization. This means that the content of DW Belarus on the Internet and the channels of the Russian DW editorial team are prohibited in social networks in the ex-Soviet Republic. The authorities in Belarus are at risk of several years of prison for people who pass on information to the editorial team.

The Belarusian Ministry of the Interior justifies the ban on the fact that DW Belarus endangers the sovereignty and public security of the country. The director of the German Welle, Peter Limbourg, criticized the decision and described the allegations as flimsy. Limbourg emphasized that the regime in Belarus fears independent media and all attempts to deny citizens to access free information. Despite the ban, the German wave continues to give people in Belarus access to free information.

Despite the ban, the Belarusian offers of the DW in Belarus remain accessible via platforms such as YouTube and Telegram. Likewise, DW Russian's offers can continue to be accessed via Facebook, Instagram and X in Belarus. The authoritarian head of state Alexander Lukaschenko has ruled Belarus with dictatorial means for almost 30 years and is considered a close ally of Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The decision to prohibit the German wave program in Belarus illustrates the tense situation in relation to independent reporting and access to free information in the authoritarian.