As of 15 January 2024, at least 153 cultural figures, including not less than 34 People of the Word, were behind bars.
A criminal case was opened against artist Hanna Kruk.
The criminal trial of writer and civic activist Aleh Kacapaŭ continued behind closed doors in Homiel.
The criminal trial of the photographer and documentary filmmaker Aliaksandr Ziankoŭ began in Minsk.
YouTube blogger Aleś Sabaleŭski was transferred to a pre-trial detention facility in prison No 4 in Mahiloŭ – indirect evidence of a fresh criminal case opened against him.
Documentary filmmaker Jaŭhien Hlušakoŭ was arrested and placed in a detention centre.
Three members of the Nizkiz band – vocalist and songwriter Aliaksandr Iljin, bass guitarist Siarhiej Kulša and drummer Zmicier Chaliaŭkin – were detained and sentenced on administrative charges.
People’s craftsman of Belarus, wood carver Jury Kamandzirčyk, was detained.
Tacciana Sieviaryniec, a philologist, teacher, mother of political prisoner, public figure and writer Paval Sieviaryniec, was detained.
Seven people were fired from the Museum of Traditional Culture in Braslaŭ.
Authorities banned artist Uladzimir Kandrusievič’s exhibition.
I. Politically motivated criminal cases against cultural workers, authors and performers
1. On 5 January, it became known that authorities had opened a criminal case against the artist Hanna Kruk. She was detained on the evening of 29 November 29 in the Marks cafe in Minsk and tried under Art. 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences (unauthorised picketing). According to the administrative offence report, Hanna Kruk “demonstrated a painting with the white-red-white flag, making it available to an unlimited number of people.” She was arrested for 13 days. Anna Kruk is currently held in pre-trial jail No. 8 in Żodzina.
2. On 9 January, the Homiel Regional Court continued behind closed the criminal trial of writer and civic activist Aleh Kacapaŭ. The trial began on 24 November 2023. Aleh Kacapaŭ was detained on 21 March 2023 and charged with the production, distribution or storage of extremist materials under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Now, he is facing criminal charges of inciting social enmity or discord under Part 1 of Art. 130 of the Criminal Code, insulting the president under Part 1, Art. 368 of the Criminal Code, and facilitating extremist activities under Part 1 and Part 2 of Art. 361.4 of the Criminal Code. A graduate of the philological faculty of Homiel State University, Aleh Kacapaŭ was involved in the popularisation of Belarusian history and culture. In the early 1990s, he headed the Homiel Youth Historical and Cultural Association “Talaka”. Aleh Kacapaŭ’s poems were published in the Literature and Art newspaper, Krynica and Maladość magazines, and the poetry collection “Jahamość: poems-dedications to Anatol Sys.”
3. On 12 January, the Minsk City Court started the criminal trial of Aliaksandr Ziankoŭ, a photographer and documentary filmmaker, charged with “participating in an extremist formation” under Part 3 of Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code. On 22 June 2023, Aliaksandr was detained at his home in Barysaŭ and taken to a detention centre on Akrescina Street in Minsk. He was then transferred to a pre-trial detention centre on Valadarski Street. Aliaksandr Ziankoŭ is the author of documentaries about the culture and history of Belarus.
4. On 15 January, it became known that YouTube blogger Aleś Sabaleŭski, detained in Mahiloŭ, was transferred to a pre-trial detention centre of prison No. 4, indirect evidence that a criminal case was opened against him. On 6 January, he was not released to walk free after serving another administrative arrest. There is no exact information about the circumstances of the latest arrest. His previous arrest ended on 24 December 2023, but he was charged with another administrative offence under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (disseminating extremist materials) and arrested again. This is how courts treat subscriptions to independent media outlets). Aleś was detained on 12 December 2023 at his workplace. Aleś Sabaleŭski is known for his video blog https://www.youtube.com/user/sobsatby about cultural and social life events in Mahiloŭ.
II. Politically motivated administrative detentions and arrests of cultural workers, authors and performers
1. On 4 January, photographer and documentary filmmaker Jaŭhien Hlušakoŭ was arrested and placed in a detention centre. He filmed videos about culture, Belarusian history, rock bands, and human rights. He was an active member of the online community “Lištva”, dedicated to Mahiloŭ’s wooden architectural heritage. There is no precise information about the circumstances of the arrest.
2. On 6 January, it became known about the detention of three members of Nizkiz band – vocalist and songwriter Aliaksandr Iljin, bass-guitarist Siarhiej Kulša and drummer Zmicier Chaliaŭkin. Mahiloŭ’s Leninski District Court on 8 January tried the musicians in administrative proceedings under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (distribution of extremist materials). The outcome of the hearing remains unknown. On 10 January, Nizkiz’s vocalist Aliaksandr Iljin was tried for the second time under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences. The outcome of the hearing remains unknown.
4. On 11 January, the people’s craftsman of Belarus, wood carver Jury Kamandzirčyk, was detained.
III. Trials and arrests for using Belarusian and Ukrainian national symbols
On 4 January, it became known that the Ščučyn District Court held an external session in the building of the local police department to hear the administrative cases of regional gas supply company’s employees for the photo of a white-red-white flag on their pages in Odnoklassniki. The court ruled that in this way, they participated in an unauthorised picket and sentenced each to a fine of 20 base units (740 BYN ($226) under Part 1 of Art. 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences.
IV. Conditions in places of detention, tortures of prisoners
Local history researcher Uladzimir Hundar, sentenced to 20 years in a medium-security penal colony, is deprived of food parcels until September 2024.
V. Repression against People of the Word’s relatives
On 9 January, Tacciana Sieviaryniec, a philologist, teacher, and the mother of political prisoner, public figure and writer Paval Seviaryniec, was detained for subscribing to independent information outlets. She was admitted to a hospital after detention. Tacciana Sieviaryniec will appear in court on 25 January.
VI. Repression in the book-publishing sector
Viktor Suvorov’s book I Take My Words Back: The Second Part of the “Shadow of Victory” Trilogy, dedicated to the first days of World War II on the territory of the USSR, was designated “extremist”.
VII. Dismissal of artists from cultural institutions
In Braslaŭ, seven people were fired from the Museum of Traditional Culture, including the museum’s head, Eleanora Zinkievič, whom the Ministry of Culture once distinguished for her work, and her husband Valery Zinkievič, a potter with the People’s Master Craftsman of the Republic of Belarus title.
VIII. Censorship
On 15 January, artist Uladzimir Kandrusievič’s exhibition, scheduled to open on 16 January at the Belarusian Drama Theatre in Minsk, was banned during the installation stage.