Reporters Without Borders launch satellite to reach Russian-speaking territories

Restricted media in areas under the Kremlin's influence and control have suffered further since the invasion of Ukraine.

Transcript

00:00 Warsaw is set to host Belarus`s Freedom Day.

00:05 Reporters Without Borders have launched a satellite in order to reach those inside Belarus.

00:10 The satellite allows those inside the country to receive independent media.

00:14 Belarusian independent media can`t work now inside of the country.

00:20 In July 2021, authorities labeled our content as extremistic and that meant that every journalist

00:28 connected to UN radio can be jailed immediately.

00:31 So we decided to relocate our team to Poland.

00:35 We are all working from exile and we always search ways how to distribute our content

00:42 to people inside of Belarus because we know they need it.

00:45 They need this fair information, fair journalism to be motivated to democratic changes.

00:52 These projects over the satellite is I think one of the bright possibilities to join our

00:58 audience.

00:59 These tactics are well known to former collaborators of Radio Free Europe who provided information

01:04 to the Eastern Bloc during the Soviet Union.

01:06 He is a bad dictator.

01:09 And the only way to fight him is through the media that will reach people in Belarus.

01:21 The satellite aims to provide citizens with independent information which is limited in

01:36 Belarus.

01:41 We estimate from 6 to 9 percent the population in Russia which accesses independent information.

01:49 So obviously if we can get additional percent that would be great.

01:54 And that exactly what this project is about.

01:56 With a free to air package we are able to broadcast towards Eastern of Europe including

02:04 the Federation of Russia, occupied territories of Ukraine.

02:07 And we believe that this free flow of information is relevant.

02:11 It matters.

02:12 Europe has given home to many political refugees from Russia and Belarus including journalists

02:17 who count on help in their fight for freedom of speech, the value we all share.

02:22 Magdalena Devnik, for Euronews, from Warsaw.

02:25 [SWOOSH]