Where do Belarusian officials, diplomats and law enforcement get info?
Law enforcers should have stood at the famous door of GUBOPIK / collage by Ulad Rubanau, Euroradio
Many Belarusian ministries are actually members of "extremist formations." They also love memes about Lukashenka. Just see who Belarusian officials, diplomats, and law enforcement officers are subscribed to on Twitter to see this for yourself.
While "ordinary Belarusians" are sent to prisons for subscribing to media undesirable to the authorities, those who often actively approve of this are quietly subscribed to "extremists." Hey, GUBOPIK! Everyone is equal - but some are more equal, and the laws don't apply to "their own"?
'Memeful' Ministry of Justice and Interior in extremist formations
The Belarusian MFA has several producers of extremist content among its subscriptions: Zerkalo, TUT.by, DW. And it is even a member of the extremist formations set up by "Nasha Niva" and BelaPAN, as authorities put it.
Even more ardent rebels have gathered at the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The official account with a tick does not hesitate to read SB and Charter'97, Zerkalo, Viasna and TUT.by simultaneously. MIA has also joined an anarchist "extremist formation" - Revolutionary Action. Less audacious "extremist formations" - Euroradio and BelaPAN - are also among those read.
Siarhey Kabakovich, a representative of the Investigative Committee, could not resist subscribing to Zerkalo. And the IC account itself used to like the extremist formation Radio Liberty posts. Even the likes of "terrorist" Anton Matolka, who commented on the Euroradio entry, were preserved. When you put a "heart" on Twitter, other readers can see it. Under the recently updated Belarusian laws, it appears Belarus's IC is spreading extremist content.
Out of all "extremist formations," the State Border Committee decided to follow Euroradio. Deutsche Welle, EX-PRESSBY and Polish Radio, blocked in Belarus, also read "ordinary extremists." GPC official Anton Bychkouski reads Euroradio, Charter'97, Belarusian Partisan, BelaPAN, DW, Radio Liberty, Zerkalo, BelaPAN, TUT.BY. There are subscriptions for seven years in jail - according to the laws that the Belarusian law enforcers have pushed while the deputies have adopted. But they are in no hurry to try them on themselves.
If you thought the Ministry of Justice was something serious, it is not. Someone in that ministry sure loves memes. Otherwise, how do you explain his account being subscribed to bloggers "Sasha 3%," "Sad Kolenka," and "Tea with Raspberry Jam"? The DOJ also reads Belarusian Partisan, Zerkalo, and KYKY.ORG. The account doesn't have a checkmark, but it posts photo reports from official events, and other Belarusian agencies subscribe to it.
The Ministry of Information, which has blocked everything in Belarus that it can reach, subscribes to Zerkalo, TUT.by and The Village. It did not ignore the "extremist formations" KYKY.ORG, Nasha Niva and "terrorist" Anton Matolka.
Even among the 25 subscriptions of the Ministry of Forestry we found Zerkalo. The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Construction and Architecture also read it.
The Ministry of Industry prefers Euroradio, Zerkalo and BelaPAN.
Ministry of Sports and Tourism do not only love the Belarusian free speech, but also the Russian one. Next to subscriptions to BelaPAN, Charter'97, Belarusian Partisan, Zerkalo and Tribuna.com are subscriptions to Navalny, Dozhd and Yury Dood'.
The Ministry of Economy reads Euroradio, Belarusian Partisan and TUT.by. Good choice!
Like from the Ministry of Defense
The State Control Committee, which has been plaguing businesses with inspections, has only three subscriptions on Twitter. Here they are: "Novy Chas," "Sad Kolenka," and "Belsat."
The Ministry of Defense, like the Ministry of Justice, loves memes and is subscribed to the page "Blizki kosmos." Its description includes a quote from Lukashenka. The Defense Ministry also reads Zerkalo, KYKY.ORG, TUT.by, Viasna, BelaPAN, DW, and Radio Liberty.
The Ministry of Health of Belarus is subscribed to Charter'97, Belarusian Partisan, Euroradio, Zerkalo, Tea with Raspberry Jam, Anton Motolka, Tribuna.com, TUT.by, Belsat, Radio Liberty, BelaPAN and Viasna.
These are not all people in power who are interested in extremism. Diplomats and embassies often subscribe to Belarusian independent media outlets declared "extremist" by the authorities. Well, where else can one find out what is really going on in the country? For example, the Belarusian embassy in Russia reads Euroradio, Belarusian Partisan and Zerkalo. Belarusian Ambassador to Japan Valery Kalesnik is subscribed to Viktar Babaryka.
The propagandists who so irreconcilably "fight extremism" that they don't hesitate to print swastikas on the front page are also special: Minsk Prauda reads NEXTA.
We did not find anything "extremist" in the subscriptions of General Prosecutor's Office, the National Bank, Belstat and MART. And the KGB decided not to openly follow anyone at all. A smart move.
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