Northern Lights Film Festival Declared an “Extremist Formation” in Belarus

Under a decision by the KGB, three new “extremist” formations have been designated in Belarus: the Northern Lights film festival, the human rights organization Human Constanta, and the group Spadcyna Belarusi.

Those listed as affiliated with the Northern Lights festival include Volha Chaikouskaya, Nadzeya Zelenkova, and Darya Zhuk. Those linked to Human Constanta include Hanna Baranouskaya, Alyaksey Kazliuk, Anastasiya Loika, Yana Hancharova, Enira Branitskaya, Valeryia Kustava, Kiryl Kofanau, Andrei Sushko, and Yuliya Stasiuk. According to the KGB, Darya Zemlianskaya and Anastasiya Sasykbayeva are associated with Spadcyna Belarusi.

Extremism-related charges in Belarus are widely used to target opponents and dissent in general.