Interior ministry adds nine to its extremist list

January 5, Pozirk. The interior ministry has added nine more names to the list of persons is deems to be involved in extremist activities, taking the total of entries to 3,664, according to its website.

Jailed Jahor Michajłaŭ from Minsk has been blacklisted twice. In 2021, authorities sentenced him to 10 years in prison on terrorism-related charges in connection with an arson attack on a T-72 main battle tank transported by a freight train. The attack took place at the Ściapianka train station in Minsk. His repeated designation is linked to his recent conviction of gross violations of public order that added six months to his prison term.

Heorhij Čaraviaka, arrested in August 2023 after returning from a trip to the United States, is also on the list. Law enforcers accused him of participating in an armed conflict abroad. His trial opened in early December at the Minsk City Court and the sentence has already entered into force but remains unknown.

The updated list features Alaksiej Arłoŭ given three years in prison for donations to an opposition organization and Vital Cydzik, convicted of gross violations of public order, inciting hatred and insulting Alaksandar Łukašenka.

Human rights defenders consider them political prisoners.

Other additions include Alaksandar Hovin, Uładzisłaŭ Navažencaŭ and Alaksandar Vituchnoŭski, persecuted on charges ranging from insulting Lukashenka and public officials to inciting hatred.

Vital Kavalčuk, Pavieł Biełanicki and Kaciaryna Žukoŭskaja, convicted of protest-related offenses, were blacklisted as extremists with a note that their criminal records are not expunged.

People placed on the list of individuals involved in extremist activities are prohibited from engaging in education activity, publishing, as well as from holding state positions and from doing military service, for five years after completing their sentences or criminal record annulment. Their financial transactions are subject to special monitoring.

They are also banned from activities involving narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors, arms and ammunition and explosives, for five years. Authorities in Belarus have equated criticism, solidarity, advocacy, free media and free expression to extremism and terrorism.