YouTube access temporarily cut off in Belarus: Center for Countering Disinformation suggests why

The Center for Countering Disinformation (CCD) reported the information.

YouTube was unavailable to Belarusian users for several hours during the night, with additional reports of issues accessing Telegram, TikTok, Discord, and Twitch. 

The CCD suggested that these disruptions by Belarusian providers could be a sign that the authorities are preparing to shut down social networks during the upcoming presidential election on January 26.

The CCD explained that the authorities' actions may aim to disrupt coordination during potential protests. The report highlighted that the 2020 presidential election in Belarus saw widespread protests due to allegations of fraud favoring self-proclaimed President Alexander Lukashenko.

“The EU did not recognize the election as free and fair, nor Lukashenko as a legitimate president. While five candidates are registered for the 2025 elections, there is no real political competition,” the Center emphasizes.

• At the end of December 2024, Belarus published a list of candidates for the presidential election. Lukashenko is running for the seventh term in office.  
• Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko did not invite an OSCE mission to observe the presidential election to be held on January 26. This is a violation of the country's international obligations.