Belarus convicts a famous dissident rock band and sentences its members to correctional labor
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.
Related articles
Kosovo prepares a new draft law on renting prison cells to Denmark after the first proposal failed
PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo’s Cabinet renewed efforts with a new draft law on renting a prison in2024-05-21Finnish hacker imprisoned for accessing thousands of psychotherapy records and demanding ransoms
HELSINKI (AP) — A Finnish court on Tuesday sentenced a 26-year-old man to six years and three months2024-05-21US, Mexico drop bid to host 2027 World Cup
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. Soccer Federation and its Mexican counterpart dropped their joint bid to ho2024-05-21India recalls Rishabh Pant for T20 World Cup after near
NEW DELHI (AP) — Rishabh Pant was restored to the India squad for the T20 World Cup on Tuesday, 16 m2024-05-21Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
Amir Khan's £11.5million luxury wedding venue has finally hosted its first marriage after a series o2024-05-215 takeaways from the global negotiations on a treaty to end plastic pollution
OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The world’s nations finished a round of negotiations early Tuesday on a treat2024-05-21
atest comment