Expert on blocking YouTube channels of Belarusian state-run media in Lithuania

The Lithuanian authorities have blocked 18 YouTube channels of Belarusian state-run media in their country, and political scientist Aleksei Belyaev, the Dean of the Belarusian State University’s Journalism Department, commented on this situation in his talk with Alfa Radio

“I would like to say how far-sighted our media managers were when they have just recently launched the Videobel.by platform, enabling to see everything that was ‘banned’ in Lithuania. The only thing that worries me, of course, is that those in the West can block access to this platform. But at least we can ensure the uninterrupted supply of information for our viewers,” the expert noted.

The Dean of the BSU Journalism Department stressed that working on information platforms such as YouTube is like walking through a minefield, “Each step can be the last. We are present at these sites, with our media outlets and bloggers having their own YouTube channels. However, this is always a game when, as we can see, you can be ‘closed’ at any moment, selectively blocked in some country, or in general, as has happened many times, your YouTube channel can be actually removed.”

The political scientist added that Lithuania’s actions were quite expected, “It was clear that something was being prepared. We see that in general, the West is already actively fighting information that contradicts their point of view and brings the truth to people, but at the same time flies in the face of the European authorities. They meet it with hostility and try to protect their consumers from it in every possible way. We have seen how Russian resources were simply destroyed, e.g., Russia Today, which were banned from broadcasting, which were blocked, etc. We have seen how the Baltic States dealt with Russian publications such as Sputnik, when people were arrested, imprisoned and are still held in prisons on charges of liaising with Russian journalists. Why should there be a different policy towards the Belarusian mass media? We are Russia’s allies, we are part of the Union State, and therefore, of course, we also pose an information threat, an information danger to the West.”

The expert explained that the Lithuanian authorities blocked channels not only with political information, but also those with entertainment content.

“Lithuania does not have such capacities as to create its own national content, interesting programmes, news, wonderful music projects. They are given money for anything: for the construction of military infrastructure and for the development of their own army. They are also given money to build camps, collect migrants and keep them so that they do not go further – despite Lithuania’s great reluctance. However, no one gives them money to develop something national, something for the Lithuanian people. Since the destinies of Lithuania and Belarus are very close and at the same time a huge number of Lithuanians are still Russian-speaking, they are very happy to consume Russian-language content, which is also available on Belarusian TV channels.”

Aleksei Belyaev added that the policy of information restrictions towards Belarus and Russia began a long time ago, “Now we have just entered a more active, undisguised phase of the information war. Despite them propagandising freedom of speech and freedom of access to the media, they have restricted access to our official channels. They were extremely worried when we started shutting down some unwanted resources after 2020. Recently, Belarus’ Information Minister Marat Markov said that over the past year, in my opinion, over 5,000 resources that are recognised as extremist have been closed. But this is not just about YouTube channels, there are a number of resources there. All this time they having been howling about the harsh dictatorship in our country. At the same time, we do not close the official information channels of Lithuania. It is possible to watch Lithuanian television if you wish, although we generally do not have such a desire. They have closed and blocked official channels,” he concluded.