Belarus has taken the unprecedented step of designating the Euronews website as “extremist media,” a move that effectively bans the outlet and exposes its readers to legal consequences. The decision, issued by the Horki District Court in the Mogilev Region on 4 August, was added to the country’s “Republican List of Extremist Materials” and is subject to immediate execution, according to Belarus-based media reports.
The ruling means that anyone in Belarus who stores or distributes Euronews’ pan-European content could face administrative penalties. This comes after years in which Euronews has served as a primary source of European news for Belarusian audiences, according to the outlet’s own readership data.
Euronews’ Editorial Director Claus Strunz condemned the decision, stating: “A state that brands Euronews as ‘extremist’ and blocks access to independent, impartial journalism reveals its own fear of free reporting.” He added that Euronews had not been informed of the ruling and awaited the authorities’ justification, reaffirming the outlet’s commitment to its audiences in Belarus.
A widening crackdown on independent media
This latest action extends a pattern of repression against independent journalism in Belarus. In 2021, Belarusian authorities banned Euronews’ television broadcast on procedural grounds. Now, with the website also restricted, Minsk has aligned itself with Moscow, which cut Euronews’ television and digital output across Russia shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The move deprives Belarusian audiences of a vital source of factual reporting, leaving them with fewer options for independent information. It also signals a further tightening of media controls in a country where civil society has been under sustained pressure since the disputed 2020 presidential election and the subsequent protests.
Belarusian authorities have not yet publicly announced the decision or provided a detailed rationale for the ruling. The court order, however, cites Article 302 of the Code of Civil Procedure, which allows for immediate enforcement.
Euronews has vowed to continue its coverage, despite the ban. “Our commitment remains unchanged: we stand with our audiences in Belarus and will continue to provide factual, independent journalism guided by our core editorial values,” Strunz said.
The designation is part of a broader trend in the region, where governments have increasingly used legal mechanisms to silence critical media. Lithuania has tightened restrictions on pro-Kremlin Russians and Belarusians, reflecting growing concerns about information warfare and foreign influence.
For European policymakers, the Belarusian decision raises questions about the resilience of media freedom in the Eastern Partnership countries. The European Union has repeatedly condemned such measures, but enforcement remains a challenge.
As Belarus moves closer to Russia’s information space, the space for independent journalism continues to shrink. Euronews’ ban is a stark reminder of the pressures facing media outlets that seek to provide balanced reporting in authoritarian environments.
