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According to Radzivon Biahliak, chairman of the Association of Belarusians in Latvia Supolka, the main achievement of advocacy efforts so far is that Belarusian journalists have remained at LSM+. The Belarusian section’s archive has also been preserved. Additionally, stories covering life and events in the diaspora are regularly published.
Belarusian independent media-in-exile face a unique financial crisis that goes far beyond typical non-profit sustainability challenges. Cut off from their home country since 2020, these outlets face two challenges: their mission has never been more critical, yet their traditional revenue models have completely collapsed.
The Belarus government continued systematic persecution of the independent press within the overall context of its fight against dissent in 2025. The pressure on media workers intensified on the eve of Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s election on January 26, 2025 as well as in April 2025, when the few still operating independent regional media outlets suffered from searches and crackdowns in the governmental propaganda channels.
Authorities in Russia are expanding their surveillance to monitor not just journalists but also the audiences of independent media. This growing crackdown intimidates citizens who access alternative news and complicates efforts by exiled outlets to reach people inside the country, highlighting new risks for both readers and reporters.
Journalist and propaganda expert Pavlyuk Bykovsky analyzes the role propaganda plays in the Lukashenko regime and how it has evolved since the mass protests of 2020. Bykovsky’s contribution not only helps to understand the specific principles of the Lukashenko dictatorship, but also sheds light on the general mechanisms of propaganda and disinformation.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) warns of Russia’s growing use of in absentia convictions against exiled Russian journalists and foreign media professionals. This repressive legal tactic is used to intimidate journalists, block their return to Russia and pressure their relatives, and has become commonplace since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
A new Russian law – which came into effect in September – punishes online searches for what the government labels ‘extremist content’. But while the Kremlin has published a list of more than 5,000 banned websites, there’s still little clarity surrounding the law’s implementation and what makes the designated content ‘extremist’.
Criminal cases are being opened against independent reporters, editorial offices are declared “extremist formations,” and readers, experts, and sources who cooperate with them face prison. Independent media websites are blocked, budgets are minimal. But despite threats, an information blockade, and financial difficulties, Belarusian journalists remain in the profession and continue reporting on what is really happening in Belarus.
The Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) is helping 10 journalists and media workers resettle abroad after their release in Lithuania on 11 September, in a deal brokered by the United States. The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins BAJ in condemning the “forcible expulsion” and calls for international solidarity to support those rebuilding their lives outside Belarus and the 28 journalists still behind bars.
The Belarusian-Ukrainian publisher has grown to over 200 employees in 28 countries, fuelled by community features and a new tech platform in its bid to challenge established players. As traditional media business models falter, publishers are searching for new ways to engage audiences and generate revenue. For the sports media network Tribuna, the answer lies in a major technological and global expansion.
EUvsDisinfo has published an article detailing how Lukashenka’s regime continues its harsh retaliation against Belarusians five years after the 2020 protests. The piece highlights ongoing arrests, torture, and exile as part of the government’s efforts to suppress dissent and maintain control.
Last summer, Russian authorities began throttling YouTube playback speeds, rendering the popular video platform practically unusable. This has pushed many Russians to change their media consumption habits. Meduza analyzes the current and potential consequences of the Kremlin’s ongoing campaign against YouTube.
In a report on audience strategies, Reuters Institute journalist fellow Maria Kiseleva examines which platforms Russian exiled media use to continue reaching audiences inside the country. The report, which focuses on platform shifts and monetization strategies, also draws on research by the JX Fund.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently gave an interview to the Russian magazine Expert about the state of the country’s media following nearly three-and-a-half years of full-scale war. Peskov said that Russia is currently experiencing “a time of wartime censorship — unprecedented for our country.”
“This is evidence for the future. It’s critical to document these crimes now, even if justice is delayed,” says Maria Zholobova, a Russian journalist in exile and an ICFJ Jim Hoge Reporting Fellow, who investigated how the son of Ukraine’s ousted president allegedly profits from Ukraine’s Russian-occupied territories.
More than 60 exiled Belarusian journalists face criminal charges under opaque “special proceedings” that allow convictions in absentia. Authorities seize property, harass relatives, and label journalists as extremists in a sweeping campaign of transnational repression. Many now self-censor or work anonymously to protect themselves and their families.
If Trump shuts down RFE/RL, thousands of exiled journalists could lose their platform, and Russian-speaking audiences may lose a vital independent news source. RFE/RL’s reporting from hubs like Riga offers rare, high-risk journalism in local languages, countering Kremlin propaganda in ways few other outlets can.
Alesya Sokolova on how the relatively low popularity of independent media may be influenced not only by censorship but also by the choice of topics and the tone of content. While censorship remains the biggest obstacle, audience fatigue with negativity and a narrow thematic focus may also push even opposition-minded readers away.