MINSK, 6 April (BelTA) - CIS Secretary General Sergei Lebedev expressed concern over YouTube blocking and removing the channels of three major Belarusian media outlets - BelTA news agency, ONT and STV television channels. "The blocking of major media outlets of the Republic of Belarus, which have millions of views on YouTube, is a concrete example of the infringement of journalists' rights," Sergei Lebedev told BelTA
“It’s no secret that the CIS is headquartered in Minsk, and the CIS agenda has always been covered with quality, efficiency, and balance by the country’s media. Now readers and viewers in the CIS and beyond are deprived of the opportunity to learn about current events. We have been closely cooperating with Belarusian media for many years, including BelTA news agency and the ONT and STV television channels. Journalists have been providing professional and balanced coverage of what is happening in the Commonwealth of Independent States, including information support for meetings of the CIS Heads of State Council, the Heads of Government Council, the Foreign Ministers Council and the CIS Economic Council, sectoral cooperation bodies, shared significant dates and also major forums and other important events across the CIS,” the CIS head emphasized.
BelTA has a total of 2.3 million subscribers and billions of views, not only in the CIS countries but also far abroad. Following the removal of its official YouTube channel, BelTA’s subscribers lost the opportunity to stay informed about the agenda of the Republic of Belarus, the CIS, and bilateral relations. Sergei Lebedev noted that BelTA is an active member of the CIS Council of Heads of State News Agencies of the CIS (CIS InformCouncil), which has been operating for over 30 years and provides information support for events within the CIS. Last year, the news agencies that are members of the CIS InformCouncil provided comprehensive coverage of events related to Tajikistan's chairmanship of the CIS and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War - the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism.
“BelTA continues to update the joint information resource of the InformCouncil - the ania-news.info website (Association of National News Agencies of CIS Member States) where state news agencies daily post news reports and photo materials about important events in the life of their countries and the provide information for the calendar of significant dates,” Sergei Lebedev said.
He also emphasized that the right to freedom of expression and access to open information in modern society are essential components, guaranteed by fundamental international human rights instruments. On 12 April 2024, at a meeting of in Minsk, the CIS foreign ministers adopted a statement on ensuring safe conditions for the professional activities of journalists and preventing the infringement of their rights. In the statement, the foreign ministers spoke out in defense of media rights and in support of media pluralism, noting the inadmissibility of imposing unjustified bans on journalists carrying out their professional duties.
"The document calls on all interested partners to join efforts in achieving the goal of improving the safety level of journalists and to protect the right of every citizen to reliable information,” Sergei Lebedev explained. “The CIS foreign ministers intend to promote the development of cooperation to protect journalists from persecution on the internet, including from unlawful actions that hinder journalists from carrying out their legitimate professional activities and to facilitate the regular exchange of best practices and experience in the field of ensuring the safety of journalists and the media, including with regard to new challenges associated with the development of information and communication technologies.”
The CIS Council of Heads of Public Television and Radio Organizations coordinates cooperation among member states in the field of television and radio broadcasting and information support for the CIS’s activities. According to the CIS chief, the Council is also concerned about the ongoing blocking of the ONT and STV television channels.
A reminder, on 3 April 2026, the administration of the YouTube video hosting platform deleted the channels of the largest Belarusian national media outlets: BelTA, ONT, and STV. The American company Google, which owns the platform, provided no explanations. Belarus’ Information Ministry views this baseless step negatively and reserves the right to take necessary response measures.
You can watch BelTA’s projects on VK Video and VIDEOBEL.BY which also offers video content from all of the country's leading media outlets.
“It’s no secret that the CIS is headquartered in Minsk, and the CIS agenda has always been covered with quality, efficiency, and balance by the country’s media. Now readers and viewers in the CIS and beyond are deprived of the opportunity to learn about current events. We have been closely cooperating with Belarusian media for many years, including BelTA news agency and the ONT and STV television channels. Journalists have been providing professional and balanced coverage of what is happening in the Commonwealth of Independent States, including information support for meetings of the CIS Heads of State Council, the Heads of Government Council, the Foreign Ministers Council and the CIS Economic Council, sectoral cooperation bodies, shared significant dates and also major forums and other important events across the CIS,” the CIS head emphasized.
BelTA has a total of 2.3 million subscribers and billions of views, not only in the CIS countries but also far abroad. Following the removal of its official YouTube channel, BelTA’s subscribers lost the opportunity to stay informed about the agenda of the Republic of Belarus, the CIS, and bilateral relations. Sergei Lebedev noted that BelTA is an active member of the CIS Council of Heads of State News Agencies of the CIS (CIS InformCouncil), which has been operating for over 30 years and provides information support for events within the CIS. Last year, the news agencies that are members of the CIS InformCouncil provided comprehensive coverage of events related to Tajikistan's chairmanship of the CIS and the commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War - the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism.
“BelTA continues to update the joint information resource of the InformCouncil - the ania-news.info website (Association of National News Agencies of CIS Member States) where state news agencies daily post news reports and photo materials about important events in the life of their countries and the provide information for the calendar of significant dates,” Sergei Lebedev said.
He also emphasized that the right to freedom of expression and access to open information in modern society are essential components, guaranteed by fundamental international human rights instruments. On 12 April 2024, at a meeting of in Minsk, the CIS foreign ministers adopted a statement on ensuring safe conditions for the professional activities of journalists and preventing the infringement of their rights. In the statement, the foreign ministers spoke out in defense of media rights and in support of media pluralism, noting the inadmissibility of imposing unjustified bans on journalists carrying out their professional duties.
"The document calls on all interested partners to join efforts in achieving the goal of improving the safety level of journalists and to protect the right of every citizen to reliable information,” Sergei Lebedev explained. “The CIS foreign ministers intend to promote the development of cooperation to protect journalists from persecution on the internet, including from unlawful actions that hinder journalists from carrying out their legitimate professional activities and to facilitate the regular exchange of best practices and experience in the field of ensuring the safety of journalists and the media, including with regard to new challenges associated with the development of information and communication technologies.”
The CIS Council of Heads of Public Television and Radio Organizations coordinates cooperation among member states in the field of television and radio broadcasting and information support for the CIS’s activities. According to the CIS chief, the Council is also concerned about the ongoing blocking of the ONT and STV television channels.
A reminder, on 3 April 2026, the administration of the YouTube video hosting platform deleted the channels of the largest Belarusian national media outlets: BelTA, ONT, and STV. The American company Google, which owns the platform, provided no explanations. Belarus’ Information Ministry views this baseless step negatively and reserves the right to take necessary response measures.
You can watch BelTA’s projects on VK Video and VIDEOBEL.BY which also offers video content from all of the country's leading media outlets.
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