TALUN, Estonia (AP) — Belarusian authorities on Friday convicted a popular dissident rock band, branded the band and three of its members extremists and sentenced them to two years of penal servitude. It was the latest in one. A years-long crackdown on dissent Which has engulfed this country of 9.5 million people.
The members of the Nizkiz band—Alexander Alain, Siarhi Kalsha and Dzmitri Khlyavkin—were charged with “organizing and conspiring to commit acts that seriously violate public order.”
In 2020, when Belarus was rocked by mass protests that erupted after President Alexander Lukashenko Elected to office for a sixth term in a controversial election, the band released “Rules”, a song that became a protest anthem. A music video for the song was filmed at one of the protests against the country’s authoritarian leader.
Lukashenko’s government launched a brutal crackdown in response to the protests, arresting more than 35,000 people and killing thousands more. Many have been labeled as “extremists”, a designation often used against critics. The oppression continues till today.
In addition to the sentencing, the band and musicians were also added to the state registry of extremists, effectively meaning its songs were banned and Nizkiz’s fans exposed to prosecution.
The band was founded in 2008 in Mogilev, a city in the east of the country. In January 2024, Alain, Kalsha and Khalivkin were arrested and initially faced minor charges, but authorities then opened a criminal case against them. He has been behind bars since then.
In February, the Vyasana Center for Human Rights declared him a political prisoner. According to the group, which is the country’s oldest and most prominent, there are currently 1,387 political prisoners in Belarus, including Alice Biyatsky, founder of VyasanaWho won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
Belarus Opposition leader Svetlana Tskhanovskaya Friday urged musicians around the world to “show solidarity with their Belarusian colleagues, who were sentenced for their freedom songs.”
“The Belarusian government continues its ruthless attack on our culture,” Tskhanovskaya said in written comments sent to The Associated Press.
He said that during the 2020 protest, Nizkiz songs were heard. “This is why the members of this popular band were brutally detained in their apartments and then sentenced. This is yet another shameful act of government retaliation.
Credit : apnews.com
