{"id":3526,"date":"2020-11-30T12:23:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-30T09:23:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/d9lb3qyw8jhbr.cloudfront.net\/?p=3526"},"modified":"2020-11-30T12:23:35","modified_gmt":"2020-11-30T09:23:35","slug":"overview-of-the-fight-against-extremism-in-belarus-for-july-october-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d9lb3qyw8jhbr.cloudfront.net\/en\/overview-of-the-fight-against-extremism-in-belarus-for-july-october-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Overview of the fight against «extremism» in Belarus for July-October 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Overview of the fight against «extremism» in Belarus for July-October 2020 (Issue #4). Repressive practices around electoral events intensify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Since Human Constanta is a Belarusian human rights organization, the topic of non-discrimination falls within the scope of our work , which includes monitoring the countering of \u201cextremism\u201d in Belarus. Every three to four months we share an update on trends in the use of anti-extremist legislation in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We approach this topic from the perspective of finding the optimal balance of the right to freedom of expression and the prohibition of discrimination.<\/em><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You are reading the fourth overview for July, August, September, and October 2020. The first covers October-December 2019<\/a>, the second January-March 2020<\/a>, and the third April-June 2020<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this overview, we use publicly available information in the media, visit the courts, and receive information from people who are being tried under \u201cextremist\u201d articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this period, we observed an intensification in the use of anti-extremist legislation for prosecuting peaceful assemblies, participation in protests, and the expression of oppositional opinions, including in the framework of criminal prosecution. The General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption (GUBOPiK) plays a decisive role in this by accusing peaceful demonstrators of «fascism». The State Security Committee has also begun to use the labels of «terrorist» in relation to members of the population taking part in protest actions, and for the first time in many years, a criminal case was opened for a «terrorist act». The biggest Telegram channel in Belarus is now included in the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Statistical data for the first half of 2020<\/u><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In July 2020, at our request, the Ministry of Internal Affairs provided statistical data, according to which, in the first half of 2020, the following crimes were recorded in accordance with the relevant anti-extremist legislation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n