Belarus: EBU decides BTRC's membership suspension

Belarus: EBU decides BTRC's membership suspension
Friday, 28 May 2021

  • EBU's Executive Board has decided to suspend the EBU membership of the Belarusian national broadcaster (BTRC) after the recent developments in the country.   

    During a meeting today the EBU Executive Board has decided to suspend BTRC's EBU membership in the light of the recent  exceptional developments in the country which have targeted the core values of freedom of expression, independence and accountability.

    The EBU has released a statement on their decision of suspension in which the explain precisely on which basis they were led to this unpleasant decision: 

    "The EBU has been closely monitoring the suppression of media freedom in Belarus and have consistently called on BTRC, as a Member of the EBU, to uphold our core values of freedom of expression, independence and accountability.

    Since the disputed elections last summer, we have been campaigning for the protection of independent journalism and freedom of expression in the country. We have publicly supported journalists at BTRC who have been protesting against government interference. We have also been monitoring BTRC’s coverage and have communicated our concerns to their management.

    In recent weeks, we have been particularly alarmed by the broadcast of interviews apparently obtained under duress.

    We have also monitored other BTRC broadcasts on this issue which have raised other serious and quite exceptional concerns.

    In light of these exceptional developments, the Executive Board has no alternative other than to propose the suspension of BTRC’s membership of the EBU.

    BTRC will have two weeks to respond, before suspension comes into effect.

    This is the last episode of a drama that started back in March when BTRC was disqualified from the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 after the submitted Galasy Zmesta's entry failed to fulfill EBU's requirements for Eurovision songs. After today's development  a Eurovision participation of Belarus in next year's contest seems not feasilbe.

     

    News Source: EBU