Editing Mass media in Belarus (section)

==Unions and organizations==

Belarus Union of Journalists was established in 1958 as a professional, independent organization of Belarusian mass-media workers. However, nowadays the Union is pro-governmental, in 2021 it suspended its participation in the International [[Federation of Journalists]] and its cooperation with the executive structures of the IFJ.<ref>{{cite web
| url =https://baj.media/be/pochemu-chleny-bazh-i-bszh-ne-ponimayut-drug-druga/
| title =Почему члены БАЖ и БСЖ не понимают друг друга
| language=ru
| trans-title =Why do BAJ and BUJ disagree 
| date = 2017-07-23
| publisher =BAJ
| access-date =2024-03-12}}</ref> 

Belarusian journalists adopted two ethical codes in 1995: the ''Code of Professional Etiquette of the Journalist of the Belarus Union of Journalists'' and the ''Code of Journalistic Ethics of the Belarus Association of Journalists''.<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://bsj.by/bszh/kodeks/
| title =Code of Professional Etiquette of the Journalist
| publisher = Belarusian Union of Journalists
| access-date =2024-03-17}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url =https://www.article19.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Belarus-Self-regulation-report_Eng.pdf
| title =Addressing ‘hate speech’ through media self-regulation: Belarusian practice in European perspective
| publisher = Article 19
| access-date =2024-03-17}}</ref> 

The [[Belarusian Association of Journalists]], established in 1995, united professionals from independent media and strived to defend [[freedom of speech]], [[freedom of information]], promote the professional standards of [[journalism]], conduct monitoring of Belarusian press, and offer legal support to all media workers. The Association experienced significant pressure from the authorities since the 2000s. It was closed by the officials in 2021. On 28 February 2023, the [[State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus|KGB]] has designated the Association as an 'extremist formation' meaning that a participation in it can be punished with a prison sentence.<ref name=osce2023>{{cite web|url=https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/538593|title=OSCE Media Freedom Representative condemns yet another attack on the Belarusian Association of Journalists|date=2023-03-08|accessdate=10 March 2023|work=[[Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe]]}}</ref><ref name=ipimedia>{{cite web|url=https://ipi.media/ipi-denounces-designation-of-belarusian-association-of-journalists-as-extremist-group/|title=IPI denounces designation of Belarusian Association of Journalists as ‘extremist group’|date=2023-03-08|accessdate=2023-03-10|publisher=[[International Press Institute]]|archive-date= 2023-03-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230309111355/https://ipi.media/ipi-denounces-designation-of-belarusian-association-of-journalists-as-extremist-group/}}</ref>