YouTube has blocked the accounts of 18 Belarusian state media: what's going on

On Wednesday, September 18, YouTube blocked the accounts of Belarusian TV channels, radio and one agency that are part of the state media holding Belteleradiokompania. A total of 18 accounts of Belarusian media outlets under EU sanctions have been deleted.

This was reported by LRT. It is noted that the video hosting blocked the accounts of Belarusian state media at the request of Lithuania.

Among the deleted accounts are those of the ATN news agency, Belarus 1, Belarus 2, Belarus 3, Belarus 5, Belarus 4 TV channels, as well as Radius FM, Radius FM House, Radio Stolitsa, Radio 1, and Radio Belarus.

In July, the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission asked Google to block the accounts of Belarusian broadcasters.

A press release from the Lithuanian media watchdog states that the commission asked the platform to delete 18 Belarusian accounts as part of its cooperation with Google.

Earlier, the head of the Belarusian Broadcasting Company, Ivan Eismont, was sanctioned by the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The EU Council stated that such a decision against Eismont was made because he spreads propaganda and supports the regime of Alexander Lukashenko.

As a reminder, in August 2020, mass protests began in Belarus against the results of the presidential election, which the country's CEC declared the winner, Lukashenka, who was elected for the sixth consecutive term. Belarusians took to the streets to demand his resignation and new elections, accusing the authorities of fraud. Lukashenka's regime responded to the Protestants with brutal repression.

In response to the human rights violations, Western countries imposed several packages of sanctions against Belarus.

As OBOZ.UA reported, on August 5, 2024, on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the fraudulent presidential election in Belarus, the European Union imposed sanctions against 28 Belarusian journalists and security officials. They played an important role in political persecution and human rights violations.

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