Belarusian band Nizkiz, whose song "Pravіly" became the anthem of the 2020 protests, has been included in the register of "extremists." The court sentenced the musicians to "house arrest"

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus has included members of the rock group Nizkiz - vocalist Alexander Ilyin, bass guitarist Sergei Kulsh and drummer Dmitry Kholyavkin - in the register of "extremists", the human rights center Vesna reports.

Human rights activists specify that the musicians were convicted under the article on gross violation of public order (Article 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus).

The Oktyabrsky District Court of Minsk began hearing the band members' case on March 19. The verdict was handed down the following day, but it was not reported at the time what punishment the court had imposed on the musicians.

After the musicians were included in the register of “extremists,” it became known that they were sentenced to two and a half years of “house arrest” each.

• The rock band Nizkiz was founded in Mogilev in 2008. In 2020, Nizkiz released the song "Pravіly"; the video for it was filmed at one of the marches against Alexander Lukashenko. This song and video became one of the most famous compositions about the 2020 protests in Belarus.
• The arrest of three members of the band in Mogilev became known on January 6, 2024. Initially, they were tried under an administrative article on the distribution, production and storage of extremist materials (part 2 of article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of Belarus). Later, a criminal case was opened against the musicians under the article on gross violation of public order, after which they were sent to a pre-trial detention center.
• Human rights organizations in Belarus recognized the musicians as political prisoners in February 2024.