After a meeting between musicians and officials in Minsk on 21 November 2007, the musicians who were blacklisted in 2004 are now again allowed to perform live and to be played on air in the radio, since that day – but... on one condition: the bands should not play at events organised by the political opposition.
The reputed ‘blacklist’ consisted of bands that had been performing at a concert protesting the ten year anniversary of Lukashenko’s presidency in Bangalore Square in the capital Minsk on 21 July 2004. These artists and bands were popular rock and folk music performers in the country:
The (comparatively) good news from Minsk that these musicians are no longer to be censored, (except for the one condition about performances at the opposition's events) was reported to Freemuse by a member of the German kulturaktiv.org who also commented that:
• “This proves that – in contrary to all earlier announcements from the officials in Minsk – a censorship list did actually exist. It proves that basic rights of artists were recognised, and violated. Such violation would normally cause a juridical aftermath and clearances in any country other in Europe, but apparently not in Belarus.
• It seems that the pressure from abroad pushed the regime in Belarus to work on solutions.
• The main problem still remains: just the knowledge in itself that such a censorship list exist(ed), is reason enough for musicians to create an effective system of self-censorship. ”
Read more about music censorship in Belarus in the Freemuse report which can be downloaded for free
After a meeting between in Minsk on 21 November 2007, the musicians who were blacklisted in 2004 are now allowed to perform live and to be played on air in the radio
On 22 September 2007, about 100 people and a bus with Belarusian musicians going to a rock festival in Ukraine were stopped by Belarusian police forces before entering Ukraine.
The popular Belarusian rock band Krama doubts if they will receive permission from authorities for the launch of their new album 'Krama', but the musicians are defiant to play
Online appendix to the Freemuse report on music censorship in Belarus, 'Hidden Truths', with links to and information about seven Belarusian songs - six audio files and one video
Online appendix to the Freemuse report on music censorship in Belarus, 'Hidden Truths', with links to and information about seven Belarusian songs - six audio files and one video
Video with anthropologist Medich and musician and journalist Lovas who explained about music censorship in Belarus at the Third Freemuse World Conference in 2006
Freemuse turns its attention to Belarus - an authoritarian former Soviet country buffering the EU and Russia where many Belarusian rock musicians have been banned
New study for UNESCO underlines the importance of freedom of musical expression while listing examples of suppression and censorship of music in numerous countries around the world
Europe’s ”last” dictator Aleksandr Lukasjenko does not only censor local bands, he has now ordered that radio stations can only play 20 pct. foreign music
