Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has made a global call to support independent journalism on the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus (February 9). BAJ has provided a guide for how to do this.
This statement was originally published on baj.by on 8 February 2022.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has made a global call for support of independent media and journalists on the International Day of Solidarity with Belarus (February 9).
February 9 will mark 1.5 years of peaceful protest against violence, lawlessness, and state terror in Belarus.
“While the resistance of millions of Belarusians continues underground in various creative forms, independent media are at the forefront of the struggle. Courageous journalists, bloggers, and influential media figures keep working in the country and in exile, despite severe repression and personal insecurity.”
We interviewed Belarusian editorial offices and prepared a small guide on how to support journalists and the media on February 9. And on other days as well.
#StandWithBelarus
Send letters, telegrams, and commissary money to people in jail
33 media representatives are behind bars at the moment. These are employees of different editorial offices, but each one of them would appreciate support from the outside. For some of our colleagues, the jail staff is setting up a real information blockade, illegally restricting correspondence. Therefore, every word of solidarity is important.
Our tips:
- send registered mail
- be sure to specify the sender’s address and name
- do not discuss political issues in letters.
Otherwise, the letters have very little chance of getting to the recipient. The current addresses of all our colleagues in captivity are available HERE.
Follow, share news, and communicate with the editors
Most media name stable communication with the audience, despite intimidation and blocking, as the main source of support for themselves. To support a publication, you can follow it on Telegram, share news from their site and send interesting information to the editorial office, if you come across anything newsworthy. Use VPN if you access media websites from Belarus!
Here is a collection of the most popular Belarusian media.
1reg.by
Belmarket.by
Belsat.eu
Gazetaby.info
Gs.by
Euroradio.fm
Hrodna.life
Intex-press.by
Kyky.org
Media-polesye.by
Mediazona.by
Nashaniva.com
Novychas.online
Nv-online.info
Reform.by
Sn-plus.com
Svaboda.org
The Village Беларусь
Zerkalo.io
Support editorial offices or journalists financially
Keep in mind that it is not always safe to do this in Belarus. Some media websites do not feature donation or subscription buttons. Here are some campaigns you can donate to:
Support MediaSol, a company that helps journalists
If you wish to support the Belarusian Association of Journalists, contact us at press@baj.by
