The Interior Ministry has added another 12 people to the “List of Citizens of the Republic of Belarus, Foreign Citizens or Stateless Persons Involved in Extremist Activities.”
Among them is 28-year-old Lithuanian citizen David Medvedev (Davidas Stanuliavichus), who is listed as serving a sentence under Part 1 of Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (“facilitating extremist activity”). In May, state television aired a propaganda report featuring him, in which he was described as a “Lithuanian smuggler.” It was reported that Medvedev was born and raised in Vilnius, served in the army after leaving school and enrolled at university. He later dropped out and went to work in freight transportation, “while also engaging in smuggling.”
The list also includes Mikita Kuzikau, Dzmitry Zobachau, Dzmitry Kardash, Mikalai Ramanouski, Mikita Mikhadziuk, Yaramir Putsitski, Sviatlana Devdera, Viktar Hurin, Andrei Kuziankou, Zhanna Kavalenka and Dzianis Nadtochaeu.
The “extremist” list now contains 6,836 names.
Belarusian authorities regularly use extremism charges to target political opponents and dissent more broadly.
