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About the Service

Originally established in 1954, Radio Svaboda reports news to a closed society from Prague and a new bureau in Vilnius, Lithuania.  

Narrative podcast “Lukashenka’s Lackeys” is extremely popular with over 600,000 plays.  

Uncovered Lukashenka regime’s participation in Russia’s full-scale war on Ukraine.  

Broke news of Russia’s troop build-up in Belarus in advance of the Ukraine invasion.

Investigated heavy Russian losses in Ukraine based on information about the dead or wounded in Belarusian hospitals and morgues. Reported on railway guerrillas and anti-war protests inside the country.

Reaching Audiences

Media Climate

Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index ranks Belarus 167th of 180 countries.  

RFE/RL journalists Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk are unjustly imprisoned on fabricated charges by the regime, which seeksto silence independent journalism.  

Losik was added to the terrorist watchlist in June 2022, which RFE/RL then-President and CEO Jamie Fly called “an egregious abuse of the state’s authority and underlines the Lukashenka regime’s contempt for journalists who expose the truth.” Losik’s wife Darya was arrested and sentenced to two years in a penal colony in January 2023. 

RFE/RL award-winning journalist Aleh Hruzdzilovich was arrested in 2021 and tried for “taking part” in mass protests in the aftermath of Lukashenka’s fraudulent re-election while covering the events as a reporter. Sentenced to a penal colony, but Aleh was released in September 2022 after serving nine months. 

In December 2021, RFE/RL was designated an “extremist organization” by Belarus’ Interior Ministry, criminalizing the reporting, distribution, and consumption of RFE/RL content. Belarusian subscribers face up to six years in prison for accessing RFE/RL content.  

In August 2020, Radio Svaboda websites were blocked. In July 2021, Radio Svaboda’s Minsk bureau was raided and sealed.  

Awards

Jerzy Giedroyc Prize

Awarded 2022 Jerzy Giedroyc Prize for Liberty Library’s book “Unknown Minsk”. 

David Burke Distinguished Journalism Award

Radio Svaboda’s imprisoned journalists received 2022 David Burke Distinguished Journalism Award. 

Media Center

Latest Updates

European Court of Human Rights Issues Landmark Ruling in Favor of RFE/RL Against Russia 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) welcomes today’s landmark ruling by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) that Russia’s “foreign agent” laws violate the right to freedom of expression.

RFE/RL Announces National Security Expert Lisa Curtis as Board Chair 

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is pleased to announce that Lisa Curtis was appointed as Board Chair on July 31, 2024.

Statement from the RFE/RL Board of Directors on the Release of Alsu Kurmasheva 

The Board of Directors of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty welcomes home RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva following her release from unjust detention in the Russian Federation.

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