On 16 September 2026, through the mediation of John Coale, the U.S. President’s Special Envoy for Belarus, 25 political prisoners were released and forcibly taken to Lithuania. Among them were three Imprisoned Writers: Andrej Alaksandraŭ, Dzmitryj Hałavač, and Zmicier Kołas.
Andrej Alaksandraŭ – journalist, media manager, poet, lyricist. Andrej Alaksandraŭ created Belarusian Journal – an online publication aimed at intellectuals, where he planned to develop free and independent Belarusian thought, to bring together different ideas, views, and opinions, sometimes completely opposite. Learn more about Andrej Alaksandraŭ.
Dzmitryj Hałavač – songwriter, vocalist, and member of Tor Band, a rock group from Rahačoŭ. Tor Band is a Belarusian band, its music videos for the songs We are not a lesser nation (Мы – не народец); Long Live (Жыве!); Who, if not you?! (Кто, если не ты) have over a million views on YouTube. Learn more about Dzmitryj Hałavač.
Zmicier Kołas – translator from French, publisher. He translated works by Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre into Belarusian. In 1998, he founded the Zmicier Kołas publishing house, specialising in Belarusian translations of world literature — poetry, prose, and drama. Notably, the Poets of the Planet series, which featured translations of poetry from various countries, gained recognition, with more than 100 books published. Learn more about Zmicier Kołas.
We are truly happy to see our friends and colleagues free, and we look forward to the release of all political prisoners! As of today, at least 19 Imprisoned Writers remain behind bars.