{"id":176520,"date":"2026-02-20T12:58:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T09:58:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176520\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"interior-ministry-designates-22-as-extremists","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176520\/","title":{"rendered":"Interior ministry designates 22 as extremists"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 20, Pozirk<\/em>. <\/strong>Belarus\u2019 interior ministry added 22 names to its list of extremists, taking the total of entries on the register to 6,320.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eight of the recently added persons were convicted of facilitating extremist activities over alleged links to Bie\u0142aruski Hajun, the now-defunct opposition online project that had monitored the movements of Russian military equipment in Belarus between 2022 and early 2025. Rights groups consider their persecution to be politically motivated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vital Kavalenka and Mikita Nia\u010daje\u016d are serving three-year prison terms, while the sentences of Alaksandar Hardzijenka and Andrej Vusik remain unknown. The sentences of Alaksandar Duleba, Alaksandar \u0141abuza\u016d, U\u0142adzimir Patapienka and Siarhiej Sikorski remain incomplete, which means that they may be serving non-custodial terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksiej Pustachod, Raman Karpa\u016d, Vitalina Michalenia, Anatol Arciom\u010danka, Anton Kaza\u010denka, Andrej Rahula, Juryja Hara\u010da\u016d, Damir Hasan\u0161yn, D\u017amitryj Ha\u0142avacki, Siarhiej Sirotka, Michai\u0142 Ka\u0142aso\u016dski and Maksim Bula\u016dski also faced extremism-related charges and may be serving non-custodial terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vital Abadzienka was convicted of plotting a crime, participating in an armed conflict abroad and setting up a terrorist group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hleb Ryb\u010danka was convicted of inciting hatred, committing a terrorist act, setting up a terrorist group, damaging infrastructure, slandering \u0141uka\u0161enka and discrediting the state. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People placed on the list of individuals involved in extremist activities are banned from any education- and publishing-related activity, as well as from holding state positions and from doing military service, for five years after completing their sentences or after the related conviction is deleted from the criminal record.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their financial transactions are subject to close monitoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the crackdown on the 2020 postelection protests, authorities in Belarus equated criticism, solidarity, advocacy, the free media and free expression to extremism and terrorism.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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