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Written question asked by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Monday, 15 June 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Thursday, 18 June 2026 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Belarus: Press Freedom

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of media freedom in Belarus; and what steps she is taking to support independent journalists and media organisations operating in and reporting on that country.

Answer

Media freedom in Belarus remains severely restricted, with recent steps such as the designation of BBC Russian‑language content as "extremist material" underlining the ongoing deterioration. The UK supports independent journalists and media organisations through our wider work on human rights and media freedom, including engagement with civil society and support for organisations in exile.

We also raise our concerns in international fora, including the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and UN, and support programmes to strengthen media resilience and the safety of journalists, including through our wider work as current co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition.

The Prime Minister and I met Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya this month to reiterate UK support for the democratic rights of the Belarusian people.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
9576
Session
2026-27
Subjects
Press freedom Belarus
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk