TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities on Friday convicted a famous dissident rock band, designating the band and its three members as extremist and sentencing them to two years of correctional labor. It was the latest in a yearslong crackdown on dissent that has engulfed this country of 9.5 million people. Nizkiz band members — Alyaksandr Ilyin, Siarhei Kulsha and Dzmitry Khalyaukin — were charged with “organizing and plotting actions grossly violating public order.” In 2020, when Belarus was rocked by mass protests that erupted after President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term in office in a disputed election, the band released “Rules,” a song that became the protests’ anthem. A music video for the song was filmed at one of the demonstrations against the country’s authoritarian leader. Lukashenko’s government unleashed a brutal crackdown in response to the protests, arresting more than 35,000 people and violently beating thousands. Many have been labeled as “extremists,” a designation frequently used against critics. The repressions have continued to this day. |
Brewers leftHackers claim to have infiltrated Belarus' main security serviceStellar Blade review: Stunning visuals and exhilarating actionCasey DeSmith makes 30 saves as the Canucks take 2Uzbekistan knocks out titleholder Saudi Arabia in UnderWhy you might have heard Paul Simon’s ‘The Sound of Silence’ at Spanish MassRedacted UK version of Rebel Wilson's autobiography has huge chunks of blacked out textChina to establish modern ecoMeneses hits 2Planning for potential presidential transition underway as Biden administration kicks it off