Cichanoŭskaja’s Instagram declared extremist

June 1, BPN. A Homiel court has declared opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja’s Instagram page extremist, a local state-owned newspaper reports.

It called for illegal meetings, rallies, marches and other “extremist activities,” the newspaper Mayak wrote on Telegram.

Cichanoŭskaja launched the Instagram account in 2020, when mass protests broke out over Alaksandr Łukašenka’s disputed re-election.

The account’s name prezident.sveta is a pun: “Sveta” is a short form of “Śviatłana” and also the genitive case of “light.” Therefore, it can be translated as “president.of.light.”

Over 150,000 people follow the page.