Former Director of Belarus’ Freestyle Skiing Training Center Added to ‘Extremist’ List

Belarus’ Interior Ministry has added another 17 people to its “List of Citizens of the Republic of Belarus, Foreign Citizens or Stateless Persons Involved in Extremist Activities.”

Among them is former director of the Republican Center for Olympic Training in Freestyle Skiing Vadzim Kryvasheeu. He was dismissed from the post in September 2020 for what authorities described as “poor ideological work within the organization.” Kryvasheeu later served as the sports representative of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM). In February, he was put on trial in absentia.

He was charged with:

• Part 3 of Article 426 (under the version of the law dated Jan. 9, 2019, No. 171-Z) — abuse of power or official authority;
• Part 1 of Article 357 (under the version of the law dated May 26, 2021, No. 112-Z) — conspiracy or other actions aimed at seizing power;
• Part 3 of Article 361 (under the version of the law dated Dec. 14, 2021, No. 133-Z) — calls for sanctions or other actions deemed harmful to national security;
• Part 3 of Article 361-1 (under the version of the law dated May 26, 2021, No. 112-Z) — creating or participating in an extremist formation.

The “extremist list” now contains 6,745 names.

The Belarusian authorities have regularly used extremism-related charges to target political opponents and suppress dissent more broadly.