Best VPNs for Belaru

On the other hand, if you are outside the country, you may be denied access to some Belarusian websites. Some of the popular streaming services you will need to use a Belarusian IP to get access to are Netflix and the country’s most extensive ultra-high-definition content library, Voka.

Due to the illegality of VPN providers, you may have a hard time finding companies with servers operating in the country, but luckily for us, there are still some excellent VPN services with Belarusian IPs for you to try out.

Using a Belarusian IP

While in Belarus, a country where it’s illegal to access foreign websites with the risk of being fined up to $125, using a VPN service is enticing. However, you have to keep in mind that VPNs have been banned (and are also illegal) in the country since 2015. Nonetheless, with such a high level of censorship and online government surveillance, we do understand if you still decide to use them.

If you want to bypass government firewalls and reach blocked content, as well as protect your privacy from government eyes in Belarus, using a VPN is essential. In a country where what you say may get you thrown in prison, and where the government controls public information, it’s imperative that you use a VPN with absolute security and a good array of servers around the world.

On the other hand, if you are outside the country, you will also face problems and may find yourself blocked from your favorite Belarusian TV shows since Netflix and Voka blocks anyone accessing from outside the country. To bypass that, using a VPN with a Belarusian IP is crucial.

Belarusian online privacy laws

Most often than not, dictatorships are connected to citizenship control and, therefore, connected to lack of privacy; Belarus is no different. The legislation allows the government to carry out wide-range monitorization. Moreover, since the government does not require independent judicial authorization or oversight, Belarus’ government has complete freedom to apply systematic surveillance to monitor its citizens.

Following this, many laws have been passed to increase citizenship monitoring. Since 2007, internet cafes are required to keep a year-long history of the domain names accessed by users, inform law enforcement bodies of suspected legal violations, and can also photograph or film users.

Since 2010, all telecommunications operators are required to install surveillance equipment so the government can monitor all types of transmitted information. Something similar happened in 2016 for ISPs, which, are obliged to retain information about their customers’ browsing history from that year.

On top of that, the Belarusian government also uses different software to monitor the internet altogether. Since 2010, it’s been using software developed in Russia that monitors open data such as media archives, blogs, and social networks. This software also employs viruses, malware, and spy software. Moreover, in 2015, the government engaged a Chinese firm to provide both software and hardware to monitor and block content online.

To gain even more control over its citizens, Belarus’ government banned Tor and VPNs from the country in 2015 and they are now illegal to use. Nevertheless, the government was not able to block every VPN, and there are still some VPN providers available.

Internet censorship in Belarus

Combined with the lack of privacy, Belarus also enforces extreme censorship within the country. Therefore, it’s not a surprise when we see that Freedom House has labeled Belarus as “not free”.

In 2015, the government made some amendments to the country’s Media Law, where the Ministry of Information can issue warnings, suspend, and block websites. This blockage can happen without warning for posts that are perceived as illegal. To be recognized as unlawful, the sites need to have any information (or to distribute information) harmful to the national interests. What are the national interests though, you may ask? Well, the phrasing is vague and left to interpretation on purpose so it can be used to smother critical media.

In 2018, things got even worse since the amendments to the Media Law got even stricter. From that year on, the Ministry of Information has also had the power to warn, suspend, block, and close not only online outlets, but also social media platforms, without warning or judicial oversight. One example of this is the blockage of the most popular, independent news website in Belarus, Charter 97, which was blocked without any legal trial and with no opportunity for appeal. Moreover, both state agencies and any individual can propose the blocking of specific websites.

Such an environment is the norm of a dictatorship, and it tremendously limits not only the content you can see in Belarus but also what you can speak about while there. Therefore, although we do not promote unlawful activities, we do defend the right to information and free speech, and so we understand why Belarusians continue using VPNs even when it’s illegal.

Streaming services in Belarus

Interestingly enough, Netflix is available in Belarus and has a library with around 350 TV shows and 1,430 movies. However, besides YouTube, Apple Music, and Google Play Music, the country does not seem to provide any other popular international streaming services.

However, while some Belarusian TV channels are jumping online and offering their live broadcasts for free in any part of the world, there are also others which are only reachable if you have a Belarusian IP such as Voka.

Voka is a video service from A1 enterprise, which is the largest private telecom, ICT, and content service provider in Belarus. A1’s fixed-line internet users can benefit from IPTV service and enjoy more than 160 channels (including 47 HD channels). It offers broadcasts of sports and cyber sports, live streaming of concerts, music festivals, conferences, and forums. On top of that, it also offers popular movies and HBO TV series with Belarusian voice-overs, so if you want to hear people screaming ‘Shame!’ in Belarusian during Queen Cersei’s long walk through the capital, Voka is essential. Like Netflix, Voka also began to produce its own content recently, and at the beginning of 2019, it released the country’s largest ultra-high-definition (4K) content library.

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