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
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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Foreign Ministry's tweets / screenshot from Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
What the Interior Ministry reads on Twitter / screenshot by Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
IC was giving likes to Matolka and Euroradio / screenshot of Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
The State Border Committee also does not want to read only the pro-governmental mass media/screenshot from Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Who would have thought that the Ministry of Justice also likes to laugh/screenshot by Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Mininform was at war with KYKY.ORG, but is reading it / screenshot of Euroradio

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.

 

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Ministries often read Zerkalo / screenshot from Euroradio

The Ministry of Industry prefers Euroradio, Zerkalo and BelaPAN.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
What the Ministry of Industry reads on Twitter / screenshot of Euroradio

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'.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
The Ministry of Sports often reads Russian Twitter / screenshot of Euroradio

The Ministry of Economy reads Euroradio, Belarusian Partisan and TUT.by. Good choice!

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Preferences of the Ministry of Economy / screenshot of Euroradio

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."

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
The State Control Committee likes to have a laugh, but not all find it funny / screenshot by Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
The Ministry of Defense are also not great at jokes, although they read other people's stuff / screenshot from Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
What the Ministry of Health reads on Twitter / screenshot of Euroradio

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.

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
Russia has blocked Twitter but hopefully the embassy has a VPN / screenshot of Euroradio

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.

 

“Грустный Коленька” и “экстремисты”: кого читают чиновники, дипломаты и силовики
"Minsk Prauda" doesn't shy from anything at all / screenshot by Euroradio

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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