Feel the vibes of a digital dictatorship
The Minsk city administration is encouraging citizens to fink on “extremists.”
In an article titled “A DIGITAL MILITIA,” published in the Vecherniy Minsk (Evening Minsk) newspaper, the city authorities boast about the successful use of a Telegram chatbot called “Ideological Inspection.”
They ask readers to immediately inform the authorities about the “improper use of state symbols” and “extremist symbols, literature and musical compositions.”
“Have you noticed improper use of state symbols, distortion of history, fake news on the internet or the spread of destructive materials? Go to the ‘Ideological Inspection’ chatbot, describe the problem and, if possible, attach a photo or video. Your reports will be processed by the competent authorities.”
Let us recall that since May 2020, more than 100,000 Belarusians have been subjected to political persecution. A total of 4,602 people have been officially recognized as political prisoners by human rights defenders. Beatings, torture and other forms of violence have become routine methods of persecuting opponents of the regime, along with labeling them “extremists.”