The representatives of Belarusian propaganda media accredited to cover the Olympics in Paris
A number of representatives from these publications, along with law enforcement officials, participated in the questioning of individuals who had been detained during peaceful protests.
The Belarusian Association of Journalists was informed by the accreditation service of the International Olympic Committee that the following media outlets have been accredited to cover the Olympic Games in Paris through the National Olympic Committee of Belarus:
BelTA state news agency, Sportivnaya Panorama newspaper, Pressball newspaper, the official website of the national sports company SPORT5.BY, the press service of the Belarusian Gymnastics Association and SB. Belarus Today
Despite the neutral status of Belarusian athletes at the Olympics and the ban on official participation of Belarus in the Games, accreditation of Belarusian media, as in previous years, was granted by the National Olympic Committee of Belarus.
As a result, two state-run propaganda publications have been identified – BelTA and SB.Belarus Today. Their employees are included on the EU sanctions list for their role in promoting Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.
Additionally, some journalists from the presidential newspaper SB. Belarus Today, in collaboration with law enforcement officials, participated in the questioning of individuals detained during peaceful demonstrations in Belarus. Images of interrogations of detainees, including independent journalists, were repeatedly published on the Internet by propagandists.
It is worth noting that the SPORT5.BY website has been included in the list of accredited representatives. The employees of Belarus 5 TV channel of the National State TV and Radio Company of Belarus (which is also under sanctions) present themselves as representatives of the site.
The site’s affiliation with Belteleradiocompany has been repeatedly confirmed by its management.
The State TV and Radio Company of Belarus is the leading propaganda resource of the Belarusian authorities. It systematically disseminates anti-Ukrainian propaganda and misinformation about internal events in Belarus.
In recent years, the TV company has frequently broadcast interviews with detainees, including independent journalists, who have been recorded under duress.
At the same time, 38 media representatives are currently imprisoned in Belarus on politically motivated charges. The EU, the USA, and numerous international human rights and journalistic organizations, have called for their release.
Many journalists are currently imprisoned under conditions that are comparable to torture. These conditions include a ban on communication with the outside world, a prohibition on meetings with relatives, care packages, and even meetings with a lawyer.