Belarus classifies social media channels as 'extremist' in new crackdown

FILE PHOTO: MMA - BFC 50 - Belarusian Fight Championship - Prime Hall, Minsk, Belarus - April 17, 2020 A fan wearing a face mask uses her mobile phone before the fight. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko/File Photo

(Reuters) - The Belarusian interior ministry on Friday classified three of the country's most popular opposition social media channels as extremist organisations, meaning that people can face up to seven years in prison for subscribing to them.

Social media channels such as Telegram messenger were widely used during mass street protests against President Alexander Lukashenko last year both to coordinate demonstrations and share footage of a violent police crackdown.