Belarusian Broadcasters Leave State TV in Protest

Several well-known Belarusian broadcasters have announced their departure from state television channels, according to RIA Novosti.

“What has my Belarus turned into? I have been working live since 2009. Now, I have decided that my broadcast today on 'Belarus-1' will be my last. I made this decision independently; no one influenced it,” wrote Evgeny Perlkin, a prominent host of a Belarusian evening show, on his Instagram.

Shortly thereafter, another notable Belarusian broadcaster, Olga Belmache, announced her departure from the 'Belarus-1' channel. “I no longer work in television,” she wrote on her Facebook page.

Broadcaster Sergey Kozlovich also expressed on Instagram that he is leaving the Agency of Telenovosti, part of Belarus’s largest state media holding. “It was a childhood dream that I dedicated 10 years to. Starting with video editing at ONT and finishing with live broadcasts at 'Belarus-1'. Working in front of the camera has always been very pleasant for me. However, yesterday I sat in the ATN studio for the last time. I made this decision on my own. I am now looking for a new job,” Kozlovich wrote.

Mass protests in Belarus began on August 9, following presidential elections in the country, with citizens and opposition supporters taking to the streets to voice their discontent with the results. It is noteworthy that incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner of the elections, receiving more than 80 percent of the votes.