Vadim Gigin
Vadim Frantsevich Gigin | |
|---|---|
| Вадим Францевич Гигин | |
| Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Belarusian State University | |
| Assumed office 2016 | |
| President | Alexander Lukashenko |
| Chief editor of Bielaruskaja Dumka | |
| In office 2008–2016 | |
| President | Alexander Lukashenko |
Vadim Gigin (Russian: Вадим Францевич Гигин, Belarusian: Вадзім Гігін, Vadzim Hihin born October 21, 1977) is a Belarusian propagandist, TV host, historian and politician. He was included into a sanctions list of the European Union in 2011 – 2016.
Biography
In 1999 V. Gigin graduated from the History Faculty of the Belarusian State University and worked in the press service of the Prosecution Service of the Republic of Belarus under another well-known propagandist, Jury Azaryonok.
In 2006 – 2008 Gigin was head of the Minsk city branch of the state youth organization, the Belarusian Republican Youth Union.
From 2008 to 2016, Gigin was chief editor of the magazine Bielaruskaja Dumka, published by the Presidential Administration of Belarus.
Since 2016, Gigin is the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Belarusian State University.[1]
He is also moderator of a political talk show on the state-owned TV channel ONT.[2]
Accusations, EU sanctions
Vadim Gigin has been criticized for advocating and promoting Russian nationalism and a Russian nationalist view on the History of Belarus.[3] He has publicly praised the 19th century Russian administrator of what now are Belarus and Lithuania, Mikhail Muravyov-Vilensky, known for his harsh policy of Russification and repressions against participants of the anti-Russian January Uprising.[4]
In 2011, after the wave of repressions that followed the 2010 presidential election, Vadim Gigin and several other top managers and employees of major state media became subject to an EU travel ban and asset freeze as part of a sanctions list of 208 individuals responsible for political repressions, electoral fraud and propaganda in Belarus.[5] The sanctions were lifted in 2016.
In the EU Council's decision,[6] Gigin was described as "one of the most vocal and influential members of the state propaganda machine in the printed press. He has supported and justified the repression of the democratic opposition and of civil society, which are systematically highlighted in a negative and derogatory way using falsified information, in particular after the Presidential elections in 2010."
See also
References
- ^ Biography at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences Official Website
- ^ ONT official website
- ^ Фігуры тыдня: Мікалай Лузгін, Вадзім Гігін, Анатоль Лябедзька [Figures of the Week: Mikalay Luzhin, Vadim Gigin, Anatol Liabedzka] – Novy Chas, January 25, 2013
- ^ Новы рэдактар «Беларускай думкі» захапляецца Мураўёвым-Вешальнікам [New editor of Bielaruskaja Dumka admires Muravyov the Hangman] – Nasha Niva, February 15, 2008
- ^ Поўны спіс 208 беларускіх чыноўнікаў, якім забаронены ўезд у ЕС – Nasha Niva, October 11, 2011
- ^ Council Decision 2012/642/CFSP of 15 October 2012 concerning restrictive measures against Belarus
