Local newspaper’s website and social media branded extremist

April 30, BPN. A judge has labeled the website and social media of the Baranavičy-based, privately-owned newspaper Intex-Press “extremist” content.

The ruling, made yesterday, was requested by the Baranavičy Interdistrict Prosecutor’s Office, the state-owned local newspaper Naš Kraj reported.

Having warned the readers that subscribing and linking to its social media may lead to penalties, including a jail sentence, Intex-Press stopped posting any updates.

Authorities blocked the Intex-Press website in December 2021, claiming that it published prohibited information. In February 2023, the information ministry unblocked it, saying that it was no longer in breach of the law.

Established in 1994, Intex-Press is Naš Kraj‘s direct rival. It has 6,700 subscribers on Telegram vs. Naš Kraj‘s 3,800, and 3,600 subscribers on Facebook vs. the state newspaper’s 2,100.

In 2021, it was forced to stop coming out in print. Its newsroom was searched twice. Last year, its correspondent Juryj Hancarevič was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for sending photos of military aircraft to Radyjo Svaboda, a U.S.-funded website.