Belarus’ veteran babushka protestor Nina Bahinskaya named an “extremist” by Belarusian authorities

Belarus’ authoritarian regime has named the iconic 78-year old protestor legend, Nina Bahinskaya, an extremist and added her to the to the Interior Ministry’s official list.
Bahinskaya carried out one-person protests against the Lukashenko-regime for years before the mass demonstrations broke out in August 2020 when hundreds of thousands of ordinary Belarusian took to the streets to protest against a blatantly rigged presidential election.
Bahinskaya sprang to prominence with her obstinate defiance of the authorities She blithely walked the streets of Minsk with her hallmark pre-Soviet red and white flag that was adopted during the countries brief years of independence before it was annexed by the Soviet Union, technically illegal. She was regularly stopped by police and asked what she was doing. “I'm going for a walk,” she replied, uttering a phrase that has since become a slogan for the opposition and their rejection of the Lukashenko-regime.
As the protests unfolder over the next six months, Bahinskaya became a icon of defiance and courage, greeted with chants of “Nina! Nina!” wherever she went. She was regularly accosted by OMON riot police, who when she couldn’t reach their heads to tear off their masks, she would then proceed to kick them in ankles.
Thanks to her fame and popularity, the authorities treated Bahinskaya with caution, afraid that arresting or rough handling her would only inflame the protests. She was detained and fined many times, but never incarcerated. She currently owes the state some $20,000 in fines, money she can never hope to pay from her meagre Belarusian pension.
The inclusion of Bahinskaya in the official extremists list underscores the government’s determination to quash even the most symbolic acts of opposition. However, naming Bahinskaya as an extremist will only add to her prestige and reputation for indefatigable defiance of the authorities.
Human rights groups condemned the listing as yet another attempt to intimidate ordinary Belarusians from expressing dissent. They argue the government is increasingly reliant on repression to maintain control after years of economic strain and international isolation.
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