Singer, poet added to extremism list

July 28, BPN. Authorities in Belarus have added 18 names to the list of people they say are involved in extremism, including a singer and a сhildren’s poet.

The singer, Alaksandra Zacharyk, was sentenced to three years of restricted freedom, a type of home confinement, for alleged public order offenses. She is best known as a contestant on The Voice franchise.

Writer Dźmitryj Jurtajeŭ was sentenced to prison for allegedly inciting hatred and insulting the head of state. His term is unknown.

Others include Dźmitryj Słuk, Dźmitryj Sieladcoŭ and Rusłan Zavadzič, convicted of extremist funding.

Human rights defenders said all of them were prosecuted for political reasons.