How Belarus silenced its free press

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary

4.3 • 2.7K Ratings

🗓️ 16 May 2026

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Until the end of March this year, BBC News Russian was the only source of independent reporting in Belarus, where journalism has been suppressed. Around two dozen independent journalists are currently behind bars, with many more forced into exile by the government of Alexander Lukashenko. Then, on March 25th, Belarus added the BBC to a list of extremist materials, meaning that it is now an offense for people in Belarus to even like or share BBC content.

BBC Russian's Alina Isachenka came into The Fifth Floor studio to explain how the BBC is trying to keep its readers in Belarus safe.

Peace talks between Iran and the United States seem to have stopped, at least for now, while the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz remains firmly in place. But there's another unexpected player drawing attention in the region: Pakistan. Somehow, Pakistan has managed to stay on good terms with both Iran, its neighbor, and Iran's regional rival, Saudi Arabia, with whom it has a defense pact. BBC Persian's Mohammad Vaziri has been following Pakistan's balacing act.

The Fifth Floor is at the heart of global storytelling on the BBC World Service, bringing you the best stories from journalists in the BBC's 43 language services. We're here to help you make sense of the stories making headlines around the world; to excite your curiosity and to get to grips with the facts.

Recent episodes have investigated Russia’s youth armies and how they make soldiers of Ukrainian children; featured the BBC team who were the first journalists to the site of the Nigerian school kidnappings and reflected the effects of internet blackouts in Iran, Uganda and India.

If you want to know more about Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, and the legacy of Hugo Chavez; or how Vladimir Putin’s network of deep cover spies operates; or why Donald Trump signed an executive order granting white South Africans asylum in the US, we have all those stories and more.

This episode of The Documentary comes to you from The Fifth Floor, the show at the heart of global storytelling, with BBC journalists from all around the world.

Presented by Faranak Amidi.

Produced by Laura Thomas and Caroline Ferguson.

(Photo: Faranak Amidi. Credit: Tricia Yourkevich.)

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, music radio podcasts.
0:07.3	On BBC Sounds, there are podcasts to help you look after your body and your mind.
0:12.7	From increasing your immunity to feeling more confident.
0:16.6	Or tips on how to focus.
0:18.5	Sorry, what will you say?
0:19.7	If it matters to you, it matters to us.
0:22.6	Feel good inside of it.
0:24.3	With WhatsApp Docs.
0:25.9	And Complex with Kimberly Wilson.
0:27.9	Listen on BBC Sounds.
0:30.5	Welcome to the documentary from the BBC World Service.
0:38.3	You're going to The Fifth Floor. You're going to hear about. World Service. This is the fifth floor.
0:42.2	The fifth floor,
0:43.5	you know what you need you.
0:46.2	This is the fifth floor at the
0:47.1	fifth floor,
0:47.9	Farnack, Amidi, Sobeth.
0:51.3	This is the fifth floor
0:53.1	at the heart of global storytelling with BBC journalists from all around the world.
0:59.6	I'm your host, Faranak Amidi.
1:05.1	Until the end of March, BBC News Russian was the only source of independent reporting in Belarus,
1:14.5	where journalism has been suppressed by the government of Alexander Lukashenko.
	...

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