Belarus labels local service of US broadcaster extremist

By YURAS KARMANAU
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Belarus has labeled the local service of U.S.-funded broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty extremist, launched a criminal probe against one of its journalists and arrested another one. It’s the latest move in a crackdown on independent media. Belarusian journalists and ordinary citizens face up to seven years in prison for disseminating content by “extremist” outlets. More than 300 independent media outlets and channels on the messaging app Telegram have been designated “extremist” after covering mass protests following a disputed presidential election in August 2020. Official results handed authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko a sixth term in office, but were denounced by the opposition and the West as a sham.