In the recent crackdown on dissent in Belarus, a famous dissident rock band called Nizkiz was convicted by authorities and designated as extremist, along with its three members. The musicians were sentenced to two years of correctional labor after being charged with organizing and plotting actions that grossly violated public order. This comes in the midst of a yearslong crackdown on dissent in Belarus, a country with a population of 9.5 million people.
During the mass protests that erupted in Belarus in 2020 following President Alexander Lukashenko’s disputed re-election, the band released a song called “Rules” that became an anthem for the protests. A music video for the song was filmed at one of the demonstrations against the country’s authoritarian leader. The government responded to the protests with a brutal crackdown, arresting over 35,000 people and labeling many as “extremists.” The repression has continued to this day, with the government adding the band and its songs to the state registry of extremists.
Nizkiz was founded in 2008 in the city of Mogilev in the east of Belarus. The band members, Alyaksandr Ilyin, Siarhei Kulsha, and Dzmitry Khalyaukin, were arrested in January 2024 and initially faced petty charges before authorities opened a criminal case against them. They have been in prison since then. The Viasna human rights center declared them political prisoners in February, along with 1,387 others in Belarus, including Viasna’s founder Ales Bialiatsky, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for solidarity with the convicted musicians, urging musicians around the world to support their Belarusian colleagues. She criticized the regime for its ruthless attack on the country’s culture, specifically targeting Nizkiz for their songs of freedom that were played during the 2020 protests. Tsikhanouskaya described the detention and conviction of the band members as another shameful act of revenge by the regime.
The sentencing of Nizkiz and its members is part of a larger pattern of repression and crackdown on dissent in Belarus under President Lukashenko. The regime has been accused of human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and suppression of freedom of expression. The designation of the band as extremist and the ban on its songs are seen as another attempt to silence critics and maintain control over the population through fear and intimidation.
Despite the harsh sentences and crackdown, there has been an outpouring of support for Nizkiz and other political prisoners in Belarus from the international community. Musicians, activists, and human rights organizations have condemned the actions of the Belarusian regime and called for the release of all political prisoners. The case of Nizkiz and its members highlights the ongoing struggle for freedom and democracy in Belarus, as the government continues its repressive tactics in response to dissent and opposition.
