As of 31 May 2024, at least 158 cultural figures, including not less than 38 People of the Word, were behind bars.
The Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against 104 participants of the Freedom Day celebrations abroad.
Doctor, writer, and translator Alena Cieraškova was detained.
Authorities opened a new criminal case against political prisoner Zmicier Daškievič.
The criminal trial of ceramic artist Alena Karpienka began in Mahiloŭ.
Minsk Regional Court opened the trial in absentia of 20 independent researchers.
The criminal trial of blogger and songwriter Andrej Pavuk, opera singer Marharyta Laŭčuk, rock musician Uładzisłaŭ Navažyłaŭ, cultural manager Alaksandr Čachoŭski started in absentia in Brest.
Translator Volha Kałackaja received a fine of 20 base rates.
Young Spectator’s Theater actor Alaksandr Hładki was detained.
In Homiel, Kalinin Cinema director Alaksandr Bałsunoŭski was detained and fined.
Belarusian-language master of ceremony, AP Event agency director Andrej Papłaŭski was detained in Minsk.
Event agency directors Jury Kapucki (Vaša Sviata) and Rusłan Daniłkovič (Event Café) were detained in Brest.
Master of ceremony, singer Pavieł Paškievič, was detained in Minsk.
Sound engineer and DJ Alaksiej Davidoŭski was detained in Hrodna.
In Kobryn, a man was sentenced to ten days of administrative arrest for having Uładzimir Arłoŭ’s book Fatherland: A Children’s Story. From Rahnieda to Kaściuška, designated as “extremist materials” in Belarus, in his private library.
І. Criminal prosecution of cultural workers, authors, and performers
1. On 16 May, the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case against 104 participants of the Freedom Day (25 March) celebrations abroad. On this day in 1918, the Belarusian People’s Republic was proclaimed. The participants face charges under Article 361.1 (creating or participating in an extremist formation) and Article 369.1 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus) of the Criminal Code. The Investigative Committee declares that within the framework of the criminal case, it received information about real estate and property on the territory of Belarus belonging to the suspects. Authorities are carrying out investigative actions, including inspections, searches, and seizure of property.
2. On 20 May, Alena Cieraškova, a doctor, writer, translator, two-time champion of Belarus in taekwondo, mother of four children, and sister of political prisoner Maksim Viniarski, was detained in Minsk. According to the preliminary data from human rights defenders, she is accused under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organising, preparing or actively participating in actions that grossly violate public order).
3. On 24 May, Belarusian human rights defenders recognised Nastassia Maciaš, a philologist who edited Astrid Lindgren’s Karlsson on the Roof Belarusian translation, as a political prisoner. On 19 April 2024, the Minsk City Court accused Nastassia Maciaš of allegedly providing language consultations to the Belsat TV channel, designated in Belarus as an “extremist formation.” She was convicted under Part 3 of Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code (participation in an extremist formation) and sentenced to two years in a minimum-security penal colony, a fine of 500 base units (20,000 BYN/$6,110), 102,415.12 BYN ($31,288) to be collected “as proceeds of crime,” and confiscation of her computer and mobile phone.
4. On 25 May, it became known that a new criminal case – the second within one month – was filed against political prisoner Zmicier Daškievič. He was charged with malicious disobedience to the correctional institution’s administration requirements under part 2 of Article 411 of the Criminal Code. On 3 May 2024, it became known that a new criminal case was initiated against Zmiсier Daškievičunder Article 342 (organising or preparing actions that grossly violate public order), with two months left until the end of his prison term. Zmicier Daškievič is a publicist, the author of the book of prison literature Čarviak (Worm) (2014), for which in 2014 he became the laureate of the Francišak Alachnovič Award, founded by PEN Belarus jointly with Radio Svaboda – for the best work written behind bars. On 14 July 2022, Zmicier Daškievič was sentenced to one and a half years in a penal colony. He was scheduled to walk out free on 11 July 2023.
5. On 28 May, the Investigative Committee opened special proceedings in the criminal case against Volha Vieramiejenka, the owner of the Belarusian souvenir shop Admietnaść in Hrodna. She was charged with facilitating extremist activities under Article 361.4 of the Criminal Code. On 20 March, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added the Admietnaść online shop to the list of “extremist formations.”
6. On 29 May, Mahiloŭ’s Leninski District Court opened the criminal trial of ceramic artist Alena Karpienka under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code (defamation against the President). Initially, Alena was accused of recording a video of how polling station No. 87 on the Mahiloŭ Regional Psychiatric Hospital premises closed ahead of time. According to propagandist Kryscina Barmuckaja, the woman sent the video to an “extremist channel.” However, she only sent the video to a friend abroad.
7. On 31 May, the Minsk Regional Court began the criminal trial in absentia of 20 independent thinkers and researchers under Part 6 of Article 16, Part 3 of Article 130, Part 3 of Article 361, Part 1 and Part 3 of Article 361.1 of the Criminal Code (inciting racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord; calls for restrictive measures (sanctions); creating or participating in an extremist formation). On 25 January, the Investigative Committee opened special proceedings in the criminal cases against independent researchers and thinkers, namely: political scientist Ryhor Astapienia, sociologist Filip Bikanaŭ, political analyst Alaksandr Dabravolski, journalist and political commentator, author of the books “Accents of Liberty” (2009) and “Seven Lean Years” (2014) Jury Drakachrust, director of the Political Sphere Institute, political scientist Andrej Kazakievič, political scientist and translator Alaksandr Łahviniec, journalist and researcher Hanna Liubakova, researcher Maryia Rohava, political scientist Alesia Rudnik, sociologist Natallia Rabava, political scientist Pavieł Usaŭ, political scientist Tacciana Čulickaja, political scientist Kaciaryna Šmacina, philosopher, director of the Belarusian Institute of Strategic Studies Piotr Rudkoŭski. Special proceedings are applied against the accused persons outside the Republic of Belarus who evade appearing before the body conducting the criminal proceedings.
8. On 31 May, the Brest Regional Court began the trial in absentia of rock musician Uładzisłaŭ Navažyłaŭ (aka Lesley Knife) from the Gods Tower music band under Part 3 of Article 130 (incitement of racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord) and Part 3 of Article 361.1 of the Criminal Code (creating or participating in an extremist formation).
9. On 31 May, the Brest Regional Court started a criminal trial in absentia of blogger, songwriter and performer Andrej Pavuk under Part 1 and Part 3 of Article 130 (inciting racial, national, religious or other social enmity or discord), Article 188 (defamation); Article 361 (calls for restrictive measures (sanctions)); Part 1 and Part 2 of Article 367 (defamation against the President); Article 369 (insult of a representative of the government); Article 369.1 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus); Article 370 (desecration of state symbols); Article 389 of the Criminal Code (threatening a judge or people’s assessor).
10. On 31 May, the Brest Regional Court began a trial in absentia of opera singer Marharyta Laŭčuk under Article 369 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus), Art. 370 (desecration of state symbols), Part 3, Article 361.1 (creating or participating in an extremist formation), Part 1 of Article 368 of the Criminal Code (insulting the President).
11. The Brest Regional Court opened the criminal case hearing in absentia against cultural manager Alaksandr Čachoŭsky under Art. 369 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus), Art. 370 of the Criminal Code (desecration of state symbols).
ІІ. Administrative arrests
1. On 17 May, translator Volha Kałackaja faced an administrative trial for “waving her hands at the police department.” She was fined 20 base units (800 BYN / $244).
2. On May 28, the Belarusian-speaking master of ceremony, the director of the AP Event agency, Andrej Papłaŭski, was detained in Minsk. In a video shot by the police, Andrej says that in 2020, he held “soft opposition views”, was subscribed to Nexta and forwarded messages to his friends and wife.
3. On 29 May, the director of the Kalinin cinema, Alaksandr Bałsunoŭski, was detained in Homiel for distributing “extremist materials.” On 29 May, Homiel’s Central District Court fined him under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (distribution, production, storage, and transportation of information products that contain calls to extremist activities or promote such activities).
4. On 29 May, actor Alaksandr Hładki was detained at the Young Spectator’s Theatre in Minsk. A pro-government Telegram channel claims that he was subscribed to “extremist resources” and registered with the Pieramoha (Victory) Plan chatbot.
5. On 30 May, it became known that sound engineer and DJ Alaksiej Davidoŭski, known as Dj Lesha DavidoFF and Dj Lesha Dave, was detained in Hrodna. Alaksiej Davidoŭski worked in the Coliseo 2000 club, performed in the Baraška cafe, and was a lights designer, among other things. In recent years, he was associated with the Bakst restaurant and the Leon Bakst bar. During the detention, police officers forcibly dragged him out of the car in the parking lot near the Bakst restaurant.
6. On 30 May, it became known that police in Brest detained directors of event agencies Jury Kapucki (Vaša Sviata) and Rusłan Daniłkovič (Event Cafe). In a video shot by the police, Jury Kapucki says that he was detained for “extremist” reposts and publications on his page with the slogans “Glory to Ukraine” and “Glory to Heroes” and that he registered in the chatbot of the Pieramoha (Victory) plan in 2021. Rusłan Daniłkovič says in the video that he was detained for a photo on Instagram in which he and his colleagues held a white-red-white flag. He also says that his wife was detained with him and that during the detention, he “did not assist” the police officers in opening the door to the apartment.
7. On 31 May, it became known that Pavieł Paškievič, the master of ceremony and singer, was detained in Minsk. The police video showed Paviel Paškievič saying that during the 2020 protests, he took photos of himself with the national white-red-white symbols and had a tattoo with the inscription “Long Live Belarus.”
8. On 31 May, it became known that a resident of Kobryn in the Brest region was arrested for ten days for keeping Uładzimir Arłoŭ’s book Fatherland: A Children’s Story. From Rahnieda to Kaściuška. The police officers came to “inspect the household” following a tip-in from an unknown person. The police report stated: “During the inspection of the house’s first floor, the book Fatherland: A Children’s Story. From Rahnieda to Kaściuška in the open-access bookcase caught my eye and aroused suspicion.” The title is included in the list of “extremist materials.” The police detained the house’s owner and drew up an offence report under Part 2 of Article 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (distribution, production, storage, and transportation of information products that contain calls to extremist activities or promote such activities). The Kobryn District Court found that by placing and storing the book in open access in the bookcase, the owner’s “aim was to carry out a public demonstration of the book so that at least family members could get acquainted with it.” The owner of the book was arrested for ten days; the book was confiscated.
III. Repression for using Belarusian and Ukrainian national symbols
On 31 May, it became known that Catholic priests Pavieł Lemiech and Andžej Juchnievič, detained in Šumilina in the Viciebsk region, served their administrative arrest for wearing Belarusian and Ukrainian national symbols. The priests were detained on 8 May 2024. Paviel Lemiech was tried under Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the established procedure for picketing) for posting on Facebook “without the relevant permission of the Šumilina District Executive Committee” an image of protests in Minsk with white-red-white flags, as well as the flag of Ukraine in blue-yellow colours. The priest was initially sentenced to ten days of administrative arrest, which was extended to four more days. On 10 May, Viciebsk’s Pieršamajski District Court sentenced priest Andžej Juchnievič to 15 days of administrative arrest for posting photos with a white-red-white flag and a flag of Ukraine on Facebook under Part 1 of Article 24.23 of the Code of Administrative Offences (violating the established procedure of picketing).
IV. Destruction of memorial sites
1. On 26 May, it became known that the crosses with the inscriptions “Belarusian peasants”, “Belarusian intelligentsia”, as well as the crosses with the names in Polish were demolished in Kurapaty – the site of mass executions by Stalin’s police near the Minsk beltway. Unknown perpetrators also removed the icon of God’s Mother of Kurapaty by artist Aleś Maračkin from the large cross erected in 1989 at the entrance to Kurapaty.
2. In Minsk, a sign with the inscription “Innocent people were exterminated in this forest in the 1920s-30s” disappeared from the wooden chapel in Čałuskincaŭ Park at the site of executions during Stalin’s rule. The chapel was built in the park in 1990 during Dziady, a traditional holiday honouring the ancestors.
V. Repressions in the book sector
On 31 May, the Prosecutor’s Office of Minsk’s Maskoŭski District ordered online stores to remove Victor Suvorov’s books M Day. When did World War II begin? and Icebreaker. Who started World War II? and Vaclaŭ Łastoŭski’s Selected Works from sale.