Tattoo Studio in Warsaw and Belarusian Association in Gdańsk Added to “Extremist Materials” List

The Belarusian Ministry of Information has updated its list of “extremist materials,” adding several Instagram and Facebook pages.

Following a ruling by the Ushachy District Court on October 9, the Instagram page “ХАТКА- беларускае культурнае таварыства. Гданьск” (Khatka — Belarusian Cultural Society, Gdańsk) was added to the list. On the same day, the same court designated content from the Instagram account “СТУДЫЯ НАЦЫЯНАЛЬНАЙ БЕЛАРУСКАЙ ТАТУIРОЎКИ Варшава” (National Belarusian Tattoo Studio, Warsaw) as “extremist.”

The following accounts were also added to the list:

• Instagram accounts “siarheihun” and “dariashulc”.
• Facebook accounts “Yana Zmagar”, “Aliaksei Tsyhankou”, “Беларускiя Студэнты за Свабоду”, “Смяротнае пакаранне ў Беларусi”, “Alexander Esenin”, “Баста”, “Volha Aheyeva” and “Symon Gromyko”.

Accusations of extremism are used in Belarus to persecute Lukashenka’s opponents and suppress dissent more broadly.