beth
JF-Expert Member
- Aug 19, 2012
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Serikali imeainisha chaneli tatu maarufu za Upinzani Mitandaoni kama Mashirika yenye itikadi kali, ikimaanisha watu wanaweza kufungwa jela kwa hadi miaka saba kwa kujisajili.
Chaneli katika Mitandao ya Kijamii zilitumika kwa wingi katika kuandaa maandamano makubwa dhidi ya Rais Alexander Lukashenko mwaka 2020 na kusambaza video za ukatili unaofanywa na Polisi.
Wakati huo huo, Belarus imekosolewa vikali na Ujerumani kwa kufungia tovuti ya Shirika la Utangazaji Deutsche Welle (DW).
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The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs has classified three of the country’s most popular opposition social media channels as “extremist” organisations, meaning that people can face up to seven years in prison for subscribing to them.
Social media channels such as Telegram messenger were widely used during mass street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko last year to coordinate demonstrations and share footage of a violent police crackdown.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs has made a decision to recognise a group of citizens carrying out extremist activities through the Telegram channels NEXTA, NEXTA-Live and LUXTA, an extremist organisation and prohibiting its activities,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The NEXTA news outlet, run by a Belarusian exile in Poland, has three channels on Telegram, including NEXTA Live, which has nearly one million subscribers in a country of 9.5 million.
Previously, anyone who reposted material from NEXTA risked a fine or detention for 30 days. But the new classification means subscribers could be prosecuted for participating in an “extremist” organisation and be jailed for up to seven years.
“1.4 million more extremists appeared in Belarus today,” NEXTA wrote in a tweet. “Ministry of Internal Affairs recognised telegram channels NEXTA, NEXTA Live and LUXTA as ‘extremist formations’. This means that criminal cases can be opened against creators, administrators and subscribers in #Belarus.”
Germany’s ambassador in Minsk has taken up the complaint with the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and demanded a reversal of the decision, a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry said.
Deutsche Welle said in a statement that access to its online services had been hindered by the Belarusian information ministry.
Source: Al Jazeera
Chaneli katika Mitandao ya Kijamii zilitumika kwa wingi katika kuandaa maandamano makubwa dhidi ya Rais Alexander Lukashenko mwaka 2020 na kusambaza video za ukatili unaofanywa na Polisi.
Wakati huo huo, Belarus imekosolewa vikali na Ujerumani kwa kufungia tovuti ya Shirika la Utangazaji Deutsche Welle (DW).
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The Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs has classified three of the country’s most popular opposition social media channels as “extremist” organisations, meaning that people can face up to seven years in prison for subscribing to them.
Social media channels such as Telegram messenger were widely used during mass street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko last year to coordinate demonstrations and share footage of a violent police crackdown.
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs has made a decision to recognise a group of citizens carrying out extremist activities through the Telegram channels NEXTA, NEXTA-Live and LUXTA, an extremist organisation and prohibiting its activities,” the ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The NEXTA news outlet, run by a Belarusian exile in Poland, has three channels on Telegram, including NEXTA Live, which has nearly one million subscribers in a country of 9.5 million.
Previously, anyone who reposted material from NEXTA risked a fine or detention for 30 days. But the new classification means subscribers could be prosecuted for participating in an “extremist” organisation and be jailed for up to seven years.
“1.4 million more extremists appeared in Belarus today,” NEXTA wrote in a tweet. “Ministry of Internal Affairs recognised telegram channels NEXTA, NEXTA Live and LUXTA as ‘extremist formations’. This means that criminal cases can be opened against creators, administrators and subscribers in #Belarus.”
Deutsche Welle blocked
Meanwhile, on Friday, Germany criticised what it called the blocking by Belarus of the news website of German public broadcaster Deutsche Welle, urging Minsk to restore access “immediately”.Germany’s ambassador in Minsk has taken up the complaint with the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and demanded a reversal of the decision, a spokeswoman for the German foreign ministry said.
Deutsche Welle said in a statement that access to its online services had been hindered by the Belarusian information ministry.
Source: Al Jazeera