The War On News

A record of government actions against journalism and fact-based reporting, from the first press laws to today

Incident

Belarus: accreditation withdrawn from 17 journalists working for foreign outlets

BelarusRSF 2026 rank: 165th of 180

Engraving of an empty press briefing room with a lectern and rows of chairs

Belarus's government revoked the accreditation of at least 17 journalists working for foreign outlets, including the BBC, Reuters, the Associated Press, Radio Liberty, AFP and Deutsche Welle, as they covered protests after a disputed presidential election.123

What happened

On August 29, 2020, Belarusian authorities revoked the accreditation of at least 17 journalists who had been covering the post-election protests for foreign media outlets, among them the BBC, Reuters, the Associated Press, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Agence France-Presse and Deutsche Welle. Government spokesman Anatoly Glaz said the accreditation withdrawals followed a recommendation from Belarus's counter-terrorism unit. Some of the affected foreign journalists were deported to Russia the same day. The move came three weeks after Belarus's disputed presidential election, which had drawn large street protests and a heavy police response, and left foreign wire services and broadcasters largely unable to report from inside the country on the unrest as it continued into the autumn.123

The accreditation withdrawals took effect immediately and some journalists were deported; the source reviewed does not report a reversal.123

What reason was given

Stated justification

Government spokesman Anatoly Glaz said "the decision to revoke the media accreditations was made after a recommendation by Belarus's counter-terrorism unit."1

What changed for reporting

At least 17 journalists working for major international wire services and broadcasters lost their ability to report from inside Belarus, and some were deported the same day.2

Timeline

2020

29 August 2020
Belarus: accreditation withdrawn from 17 journalists working for foreign outlets

Who acted

NameRole in this incidentOffice at the time
Alexander LukashenkootherPresident of Belarus
Anatoly GlazorderedSpokesman for Belarus's Foreign Ministry

Outlets and journalists

NameKindRelation
Agence France-Presseoutletaffected
BBCoutletaffected
Deutsche Welleoutletaffected
Radio Free Europe/Radio Libertyoutletaffected
Reutersoutletaffected
The Associated Pressoutletaffected

Sources

  1. Belarus strips journalists working for foreign outlets of accreditationCommittee to Protect Journalists, 2020-08-29, reporting. Source record
  2. Belarus revokes accreditations of journalists covering protests for foreign mediaReuters, 2020-08-29, reporting. Source record
  3. Belarus: Journalists covering protests stripped of accreditationBBC, 2020-08-29, reporting. Source record

Claims and evidence

Each numbered claim quotes the source it rests on.

  1. Government spokesman Anatoly Glaz attributed the decision to a recommendation from the counter-terrorism unit.the decision to revoke the media accreditations was made after a recommendation by Belarus's counter-terrorism unitBelarus strips journalists working for foreign outlets of accreditation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-08-29.Claim 498, checked 2026-09-22.
  2. Some of the affected foreign journalists were deported to Russia on the day their accreditation was revoked.Some foreign journalists were deported to Russia on the same dayBelarus strips journalists working for foreign outlets of accreditation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-08-29.Claim 499, checked 2026-09-22.
  3. At least 17 journalists covering the post-election protests for foreign outlets lost their accreditation.at least 17 journalists who had been covering post-election protests for foreign media outletsBelarus strips journalists working for foreign outlets of accreditation, Committee to Protect Journalists, 2020-08-29.Claim 564, checked 2026-09-22.