{"id":184650,"date":"2026-04-23T14:14:05","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T11:14:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/184650\/"},"modified":"2026-04-23T14:14:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T11:14:07","slug":"six-groups-running-for-opposition-coordination-council-branded-extremist","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/184650\/","title":{"rendered":"Six groups running for opposition Coordination Council branded \u201cextremist\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

April 23, Pozirk. <\/strong>Belarus\u2019 Committee for State Security (KGB) designated as \u201cextremist organizations\u201d six political groups on the ballot in the forthcoming elections for the opposition Coordination Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The updated register of extremist groups on the interior ministry\u2019s website now features Va\u0161 Ho\u0142as (Your Voice), Nastup (Attack), Khvatit boyatsia! (Stop Being Afraid), the United Civic Platform, Vola (Freedom) and Bie\u0142arusy Dzieja\u0144nia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of April 23, the register contained 397 entries, including media outlets and civil society organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

As many as 174 candidates representing nine political groups are running in the elections for the 80-member Coordination Council scheduled for May 11-17. The other three groups were labelled as extremist as far back as May 2024. In particular, authorities then blacklisted the Coordination Council\u2019s largest group, \u0141atu\u0161ka and the Movement for Freedom, as well as European Choice, and Law and Order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Coordination Council is a non-governmental body established by presidential candidate Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja in 2020 to facilitate a democratic transfer of power in Belarus. The Council originally had 64 core members with a seven-member leadership board. Amid the post-election crackdown in Belarus, many of the Council\u2019s members were arrested or forced into exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2022 and 2023, the Coordination Council was re-established abroad as a body consisting of representatives of various pro-democracy groups in exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2024, the Council held its first direct online elections, with more than 6,700 citizens of Belarus reportedly taking part in them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With 28 seats, \u0141atu\u0161ka and the Movement for Freedom is currently the Council\u2019s largest political group. Pavie\u0142 \u0141atu\u0161ka is deputy head of the United Transitional Cabinet led by Sviat\u0142ana Cichano\u016dskaja.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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