Over the past year, the Belarusian authorities sought to eliminate the country’s independent media as it sought to crack down on dissenting voices. This year’s Free Media Awards are so important to highlight how severe the situation has become, as well as to honour the brave journalists risking their security and lives to tell the world what is happening in Belarus. Without them accountability would not be possible.
Ane Tusvik Bonde, Jury member, Free Media Awards / Senior Advisor, HRHF
Human Rights House Foundation congratulates 2021 Free Media Award winners TUT.BY, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Katsiaryna Barysevich (TUT.BY), Katsiaryna Andreyeva and Darya Chultsova (Belsat) & Natallja Lubnewskaya (Nasha Niva) for well-deserved recognition!
Media Under Attack in Belarus

Watch the full recording of the webinar “Media Under Attack in Belarus”, hosted on the sidelines of the 47th session of the Human Rights Council. Webinar organised by Human Rights House Foundation, Pen America, and the Permanent Mission of Lithuania to the UN in Geneva.

HRHF and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee nominated TUT.BY for its coverage of the 9 August 2020 presidential election and subsequent protests. TUT.BY was blocked in May 2021 and 13 employees were imprisoned as part of #Belarus authorities crackdown on critical voices.
 
Since the August 2020 presidential election, the situation for independent media in Belarus has deteriorated dramatically.