The Belarusian authorities continue to persecute citizens for distributing materials the state consider ‘extremist’.
Overnight into Tuesday, the Minsk police detained IT consultant Hleb Rubanau. The reason for detaining is still unclear; Mr Rubanau is known for taking part in a social media flashmob.
According to his wife Anastasiya, at about 4.30 am a local police officer phoned them and said that some thugs had damaged cars parked in the yard and asked Hleb to come and check on his car. The vehicle turned out to be in perfect order; Hleb Rubanau, however, was grabbed by the police and taken to Savetski district police department.
Currently, most Belarusians are having holidays on the occasion of the Day of Rejoicing (May, 7) Victory Day (May, 9). Due to this fact, Mr Rubanau may spend some days in the predetention centre in wait for his trial.
Her husband might be persecuted over his contributing to the online flashmob launched by anarchist and former political prisoner Mikalai Dzyadok: the participants publish their photos containing the information banned by the Republican Extremist Materials Register and add the hashtag #яэкстрэміст (I am an extremist).
According to the Belarusian Administrative Code, distribution of information products included in the list of extremist materials is punishable by a heavy fine or administrative arrest (up to 15 days).
In November 2018, Hrodna-based Belsat TV contributor Ales Dzyanisau was found guilty of possessing and distributing ‘extremist’ materials. In March 2017, Dzyanisau reposted two videos from Belarusian anarchists’ web community to his own Vkontakte social network page. The videos featured anarchists’ participating in ‘non-parasite’ protests in Belarus in the spring of 2017.
ІІ belsat.eu
