MINSK -- A Belarusian court has labeled a popular Telegram channel, which has been covering ongoing postelection protests in the country, as extremist.
The Central district court in Minsk also designated NEXTA-Live’s logo as extremist, the Supreme Court of Belarus said on October 20.
The court instructed the Information Ministry to include NEXTA-Live and its logo on its "extremist" list, and to restrict access to information resources using the name and logo of the Telegram channel, as well as their distribution in the Belarusian segment of the Internet.
NEXTA-Live, which has almost 2 million subscribers, said in a statement that it would now start working on a new name and logo.
The court's decision follows complaints filed by the Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Combating Organized Crime and Corruption, which claimed that NEXTA-live's online materials included extremist content.
It comes as Belarus’s strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka continues to face nationwide protests triggered by a presidential election in August that the opposition and Western governments say was rigged.
On October 20, Lukashenka named new rectors for three universities in Minsk whose students have actively participated in the ongoing protests against his rule.
The previous rectors of the Minsk State Linguistic University, the Belarusian State University, and the Belarusian State University of Culture and Arts were fired earlier, in the wake of rallies in which thousands of students took part.
Belarus Labels Popular Telegram Channel 'Extremist'
Related
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
After Her Photo Went Viral, Maria Zaytsava Was Killed Fighting For Ukraine
2What's Stopping NATO Countries From Boosting Defense Spending?
3Moscow's War On Ukraine: Where's The Russian Outrage?
4Trump Says Putin ‘Destroying’ Russia By Failing To Seek Ukraine Peace Deal
52 Iranian Supreme Court Judges Killed In Tehran
6Trump Warns Putin For Third Time To End 'Ridiculous' Ukraine War
7Could Trump Cut A Deal With Putin And Leave Ukraine In The Cold?
8Why Are European Troops For Ukraine A Nonstarter?
9Amid Russian Assault, Ukrainian Children Evacuated From Pokrovsk
10Ukraine Live Briefing: Trump Threatens Russia Sanctions
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
