Disinfo: There is no independent media in the USA

Summary

One of the most popular is the myth of a free press of the West – and this despite the fact that a number of media outlets are directly funded by governments. This paradox is usually explained by the words “independent editorial policy”. The leaders of the leading American media were often people affiliated with the intelligence services.

Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin narrative about Western media, allegedly censorship in US media. Freedom of the press in the United States is legally protected by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. There are media in the US that are funded by the government, but they are guaranteed from any interference. For example, an essential guarantee of the journalistic credibility of Voice of America content is the “firewall” enshrined in the 1994 U.S. International Broadcasting Act. The firewall prohibits interference by any U.S. government official in the objective, independent reporting of news, thereby safeguarding the ability of our journalists to develop content that reflects the highest professional standards of journalism, free of political interference.

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  • Reported in: Issue 209
  • DATE OF PUBLICATION: 11/08/2020
  • Outlet language(s) Russian
  • Countries and/or Regions discussed in the disinformation: US
  • Keywords: Censorship, Media
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Disinfo: The EU criticised the elections and repression in Minsk, but in fact, the EU and its members have the same lack of democracy and repression

The EU criticised the elections and repression in Minsk, but in fact, the EU and its members have the same lack of democracy and repression. In 2005, a Referendum in France rejected the constitutional treaty but two years later the treaty of Lisbon was ratified. France did not respect the will of its citizens. Germany didn’t either since no referendum was even organised. This is a violation of democratic principle and all media are silent about it. Ursula von der Leyen, condemned the repression in Belarus and asked for accuracy in the result of the vote. But there is a landslide victory for Alexander Lukashenko whereas no such legitimacy happened for the regime of Merkel or the EU. Furthermore, in France, the repression was violent against the yellow vests. More recently, in Germany, for the day of Freedom where half a million people demonstrated for their freedom on August 1st. The press said only 20,000 people attended the event and demonstrators were arrested by the police. European, French or German elections are in no circumstances any better than elections in Belarus. Even though, Belarus is not a perfect democracy, the European Union is no better.

Aug 10, 2020
Disproof

Recurrent disinformation message using relativism to undermine European values and at the same time legitimatize low standards of democracy, in this case in Belarus. Following these elections which took place on Sunday 9th August, Ursula von der Leyen declared that:

Harassment & violent repression of peaceful protesters has no place in Europe. Fundamental rights in Belarus must be respected. I call on the Belarusian authorities to ensure that the votes in yesterday’s election are counted & published accurately.

The European Union has also urged the Central Electoral Commission of Belarus to publish the results reflecting the choice of the Belarusian people. Candidates and demonstrators are questioning the honesty of the official election results, as several potential opposition candidates were barred from running. International observers were concerned about the fairness of the electoral process. More cases about Belarus can be seen at the following links: Russia has neutralised many Western attempts to topple the Belarusian government, The EU continues to support a colour revolution in Belarus, The US wishes to destabilise Belarus and provoke a war, Polish ruling elites dream of military intervention, The West is helping to destabilise the situation in Belarus before the election, Belarus will either become part of Russia or the West’s poor colony, NATO pays the Belarusian opposition $1 per one person infected with coronavirus.

Disinfo: EU reaction to Lukashenka's presidential win is an example of Western double standards

Following Belarusian President Lukashenka’s re-election victory, the European Council announced plans to hold a meeting on the imposition of sectoral sanctions against Minsk. Why did the European Council not hold a meeting about the recent presidential election in Poland? Among other things, Poles were prohibited from casting their votes from abroad.

Aug 10, 2020
Disproof

The claim is false. Polish citizens abroad were allowed to vote in the 2020 presidential election, regardless of their country of residence. Guidelines and regulations for prospective voters abroad were published by the Polish Foreign Ministry. Although administrative issues prevented some to cast their ballots in time, the Ministry reported record turnout at foreign polling stations, with 311,124 votes cast in the first round and 415,951 in the second. As for the Belarusian elections, candidates and demonstrators are questioning the honesty of the official election results, as several potential opposition candidates were barred from running. The European Union has urged the Central Electoral Commission of Belarus to publish the results reflecting the choice of the Belarusian people. This disinformation message appeared in the same TV broadcast as the claim that protests in Belarus are a colour revolution according to Maidan scenario;

Disinfo: The West wants to prepare Maidan in Belarus

The general goal of the West is clear: to rip Belarus away from Russia, to destroy the Union State, our defense cooperation. They have two strategies. The first – to prepare Maidan, to incite protests, topple Lukashenko. The second strategy is to drive the authorities away from Russia.

Aug 10, 2020
Disproof

Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Belarus and the West. The EU continues a step-by-step approach in its engagement with Belarus, supporting its civil society and victims of repression. The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election in Belarus on the 9th of August, which are considered fraudulent by large part of Belarusian society. See similar disinformation cases alleging that Russia has neutralised many Western attempts to topple the Belarusian government; the West pursues Maidan policy towards Belarus to encircle Russia. This disinformation message appeared in the same TV broadcast as the claim that Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians are one nation.