December 5, Pozirk. Belarus’ Committee for State Security on November 12 designated two Polish event agencies, Terra Group Event and SSL Production, and Skład Butelek, a Warsaw-based bar and jazz club that often hosts Belarusian performers, as extremist groups.
The interior ministry added the entities to its list of extremist groups on November 5. The list contains 321 entries.
It mentions Vital Kryŭko and Andrej Jaraševič as persons associated with Terra Group Event and SSL Production, and Valancin Bachtinaŭ, Siarhiej Salaš, Dźmitryj Babicki, Alaksandra Višneŭskaja, Nasta Ciareška, Valeryja Bielskaja, Juryj Dušyn, Volha Strałkoŭskaja, Kiryl Skabiejka, Dźmitryj Kavalonak and Siarhiej Statkievič as individuals associated with Skład Butelek.
Terra Group Event organized events for IT companies, such as Wargaming, Softswiss and Andersen, while SSL Production stages events in Poland, Germany, Austria, Greece, Turkey and Lithuania.
According to the Viasna Human Rights Center, Terra Group Event employed opposition activist Anatol Kotaŭ, who disappeared in Turkey in August. Kotaŭ’s whereabouts are unknown, but his wife fears that he was kidnapped by Belarusian or Russian secret services.
The extremist designation carries punishment of up to 10 years in prison for anyone associated with these entities.
