The Online Battle for Belarus
On the 9th August 2020, as President Alexander Lukashenko was declared successful in securing his 6th term in office, Belarus was flooded by a wave of protest. This unprecedented response has largely been accredited to the mobilisation produced online. The Eastern European country has relied on digital platforms as an alternative to government censorship; playing a vital role in the opposition’s agenda.
Belarus is currently ranked 153rd out of 180 nations on the World Press Freedom Index. With restricted and tightly controlled access to media outlets, the Internet has been a threat to Mr Lukashenko’s presidential campaign from the very beginning. The risks associated with producing online content have differed from the consequences official media companies were initially exposed to. While journalists have had their accreditations revoked for de trop commentary, video bloggers could not be threatened by the loss of qualifications. Nonetheless, as the Internet movement spread, the authorities began conducting more arrests. Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the former presidential candidate, has been placed in prison for his activism on YouTube. His videos, taking on the format of interviews, exposed a hostile attitude towards the President. Ms Tikhanovskaya, who replaced her husband’s place in the race, has used a parallel strategy- the candidate has successfully mobilised unrivalled crowds through online addresses.
In an attempt to contain the spread of undesired news, the authorities have also been accused of orchestrating several Internet blackouts with the use of DPI technology. Popular platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, have all been affected. Mr Lukashenko has denied responsibility and blames foreign forces for attempting to “incite discontent”. In response, hundreds of Belarus’ top tech executives have signed a letter declaring their discontent. Michael Dubakov, the founder of Fibery, has warned that the changes “will lose years of progress” for the country’s booming technology sector. The letter also calls for another election.
Despite the obstructions, Nexta, a Telegram channel which operates in several formats, has seen its numbers soaring in recent days, attracting an audience of over 1.5 million. Nexta has become a valuable source of information and has been used to mobilise thousands of protestors. The network is largely responsible for co-ordinating demonstrations by publishing useful addresses; contact numbers as well as exposing police hotspots. Moreover, the tool has helped people to overcome online censorship by offering different servers or even sending out message updates. Charter’97, a parallel news outlet, has seen consistent blockage of its reports over the last two years. In a like manner, the Belarusian population has been able to overcome the attempts to cease information by making the move to private networks.
As protests continue, so does the determination of the Belarus people to overcome restrictions placed on online activity. The Internet remains in the spotlight with Telegram channels, video blogs and social media outlets offering a different perspective on the future of Belarus.
By: Zuzanna Potocka