{"id":11372,"date":"2022-10-27T08:00:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-27T08:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=11372"},"modified":"2024-06-12T13:37:45","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T13:37:45","slug":"bel-manitoryng-parushennyau-kulturnyh-pravou-i-pravou-chalaveka-u-dachynenni-da-dzeyachau-kultury-belarus-studzen-verasen-2022-goda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2022\/10\/27\/bel-manitoryng-parushennyau-kulturnyh-pravou-i-pravou-chalaveka-u-dachynenni-da-dzeyachau-kultury-belarus-studzen-verasen-2022-goda.html","title":{"rendered":"Monitoring Violations of Cultural Rights and Human Rights of Cultural Figures. Belarus, January \u2013 September 2022"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Since October 2019, the Belarusian PEN has been systematically collecting information on violations of cultural and human rights against cultural figures. This document contains statistics and analysis of violations for the nine months of 2022 and reflects the main trends and nature of the state policy in the sphere of culture. The material was prepared on the basis of generalized information collected from open sources and in direct communication with cultural figures.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><em>NB: for the sake of users&#8217; information security, we do not provide direct links to information sources if, according to current regulations in the Republic of Belarus, restrictions are imposed on them. <a href=\"\/en\/2020\/12\/20\/pra-manitoryng-belaruskaga-pena-o-mon\u0438tor\u0438nge-belarusskogo-pen.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">More about monitoring<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>I.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>GENERAL RESULTS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">From January to September 2022 there were <span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>998 violations<\/strong><\/span>* of cultural and human rights against cultural figures. These include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify\">715 violations against 403 cultural figures and individuals whose cultural rights were violated;<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify\">158 violations against 133 organizations and communities;<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify\">94 violations against sites of historical and cultural heritage or the Belarusian language;<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify\">*the total data record also includes 31 materials related to the topic of culture (website, YouTube channel, article, clip, book, etc.) or cultural figures (a page in a social network), included by the Ministry of Information of the Republic of Belarus in the list of extremist materials.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11449 size-full\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd1-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd1-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd1-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd1-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd1-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\"><strong>II.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #0000ff\"><strong>POLITICAL PRISONERS \u2013 CULTURAL FIGURES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">According to the Human Rights Center Viasna, there were a total of 1,324 <strong>political prisoners <\/strong><a href=\"#s_1\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[1]<\/a> in Belarus as of September 30, 2022. A total of <span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>101<\/strong><\/span> cultural figure has been recognized as political prisoner.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>43<\/strong> <\/span>people are <strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">in penal colonies<\/span>: <\/strong>\u00a0architect <strong>Arciom Takar\u010duk <\/strong>(sentenced to 3.5 years); bard and programmer <strong>Anato\u013a Chinievi\u010d<\/strong> (2.5 years); concert agency director <strong>Ivan Kaniavieha <\/strong>(3 years); documentary filmmaker and blogger <strong>Paviel \u015apiryn<\/strong> (4.5 years); UX\/UI designer <strong>D\u017amitryj Kubara\u016d<\/strong> (7 years in a high-security colony); drummer <strong>Aliaksiej San\u010duk <\/strong>(6 years, high-security); cultural manager <strong>Mia Mitkievi\u010d <\/strong>(3 years); writer and social and political activist <strong>Paviel Sieviaryniec <\/strong>(7 years, high-security); dancers <strong>Ihar Jarmola\u016d<\/strong> and <strong>Mikalaj Sasie\u016d <\/strong>(5 years, high-security); art patron <strong>Viktar Babaryka<\/strong> (14 years, high-security); actor <strong>Siarhiej Volka\u016d<\/strong> (4 years, high-security); lighting designer <strong>Danila Han\u010daro\u016d <\/strong>(2 years); musician <strong>Paviel Lar\u010dyk <\/strong>(3 years); poet and publicist <strong>Ksienija Syramalot <\/strong>(2.5 years); former students of the faculty of aesthetic education at BGPU <strong>Jana Arabiejka <\/strong>and <strong>Kasia Bud\u017ako <\/strong>(2.5 years each); former student of the Arts Academy <strong>Maryja Kalienik<\/strong> (2.5 years); former student of architecture at BNTU <strong>Viktoryja Hranko\u016dskaja <\/strong>(2.5 years); designer and architect <strong>Ra\u015bcisla\u016d Stefanovi\u010d <\/strong>(8 years, high-security); musician and DJ <strong>Artur Amira\u016d <\/strong>(3.5 years, high-security); history and social sciences teacher <strong>Andrej Piatro\u016dski <\/strong>(1.5 years); poet, bard and lawyer<strong> Maksim Znak<\/strong> (10 years, high-security); musician and manager of cultural projects <strong>Maryja Kalie\u015bnikava<\/strong>(11 years); musicians <strong>Uladzimir Kala\u010d<\/strong> and <strong>Nadzieja Kala\u010d <\/strong>(2 years each); musicians <strong>Piotr Mar\u010danka, Julija Mar\u010danka (Junickaja) <\/strong>and<strong> Anton \u0160nip <\/strong><a href=\"#s_2\" name=\"_ftnref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[2]<\/a> (1.5 years each); artist <strong>Alie\u015b Pu\u0161kin <\/strong>(5 years, high-security); writer, musician and author of the magazine <em>Na\u0161a historyja <\/em><strong>Andrej Skurko<\/strong> (2,5 years); author of the musical project and director of the printing house <strong>Arciom Fiedasienka <\/strong>(4 years); history reconstructor and activist <strong>Kim Samusienka <\/strong>(6,5 years); author of texts for <em>Na\u0161a historyja <\/em>and <em>Arche<\/em> magazines <strong>Andrej Aku\u0161ka<\/strong> (2,5 years); musician and activist <strong>Siarhiej Spary\u0161 <\/strong>(6 years, high-security); non-fiction Internet author and blogger <strong>Paviel Vinahrada\u016d <\/strong>(5 years); poet, translator and journalist <strong>Andrej Ku\u017anie\u010dyk <\/strong>(6 years, high-security); architect <strong>Ivan Par\u0161yn <\/strong>(2 years); writer and activist <strong>Aliena Hna\u016dk <\/strong>(3.5 years); jeweler and history reconstructor <strong>Michail Laba\u0144 <\/strong>(4 years); writer and journalist <strong>Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvalava) <\/strong>(8 years and 3 months, high-security); author and Wikipedia editor <strong>Paviel Piernika\u016d <\/strong>(2 years); poet and founder of the literary Honey Award <strong>Mikalaj Papieka <\/strong>(transferred from &#8220;chemistry&#8221; to 8.5 months in colony).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>6 <\/strong><\/span>cultural figures are serving <span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>&#8220;chemistry&#8221; <\/strong><\/span><a href=\"#s_3\" name=\"_ftnref3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[3]<\/a> sentences: poet and filmmaker <strong>Ihnat Sidor\u010dyk <\/strong>(sentenced to 3 years); designer <strong>Maksim Ta\u0107cianok<\/strong> (3 years); scientific associate of the Center for Research of Belarusian Culture, Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences <strong>Aliaksandr Halko\u016dski<\/strong> (1.5 years); director of web-design studio <strong>Hlieb Kojpi\u0161<\/strong> (2 years); cellist <strong>I\u013alia Han\u010daryk<\/strong> (4 years); movie actor <strong>Dzianis Ivano\u016d<\/strong> (2 years). [On October 6, cultural project manager and <strong>sociologist Ta\u0107ciana Vadala\u017eskaja<\/strong> left to serve her sentence (2.5 years)].<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>12<\/strong><\/span> people are <strong><span style=\"color: #3366ff\">in prison<\/span>: <\/strong>artist <strong>Aliaksandr Nurdzina\u016d<\/strong> (sentenced to 4 years in a high-security colony); artist and cartoonist <strong>Ivan Viarbicki<\/strong> (8 years and 1 month in a strict regime); author of prison literature, anarchist activist <strong>Mikalaj Dziadok<\/strong> (5 years); history promoter, blogger <strong>Eduard Pa\u013a\u010dys<\/strong> (13 years in high-security prison); author of prison literature, anarchist activist <strong>Ihar Alinievi\u010d <\/strong>(20 years in high-security prison) and cultural manager and blogger <strong>Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski <\/strong>(18 years, high-security) have been transferred to prison from penal colonies. Philosopher, methodologist and publicist <strong>Uladzimir Mackievi\u010d <\/strong><a href=\"#s_4\" name=\"_ftnref4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[4]<\/a> (had been sentenced to 5 years in a high-security colony), street artist and IT-specialist <strong>D\u017amitryj Padrez<\/strong> (7 years, high-security), librarian <strong>Julija Laptanovi\u010d <\/strong>(5 years) and architect <strong>Aliaksiej Parecki<\/strong> (3 years) are waiting in a penal colony for transfer to a prison. Ethnographer and activist <strong>Uladzimir Hundar<\/strong> (who had been already sentenced to 3 years in penal colony) is kept in prison because of a repeated trial. Cultural manager <strong>Paviel Ma\u017eejka<\/strong>, detained on August 30, 2022, is also being held in prison.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>38<\/strong> <\/span>cultural figures are being held in <span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>KGB <\/strong><\/span>and<span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong> Ministry of Internal Affairs detention centers <\/strong><\/span>pending trial or transfer to a prison: cultural manager <strong>Eduard Babaryka<\/strong> (from 18.06.2020); poet, journalist and media manager <strong>Andrej Aliaksandra\u016d <\/strong><a href=\"#s_5\" name=\"_ftnref5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[5]<\/a> (from 12.01.2021); poet and member of the Union of Poles in Belarus <strong>Andrzej Poczobut<\/strong> (from 25.03.2021); author, editor, political analyst <strong>Valieryja Ka\u015bciuhova<\/strong> (from 30.06.2021); literary scholar, researcher of the history of Belarusian literature, essayist, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner <strong>Alie\u015b Bialiacki<\/strong> (from 14.07.2021); musician <strong>Siarhiej Dalivielia <\/strong><a href=\"#s_6\" name=\"_ftnref6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[6]<\/a> (from 29.09.2021); photographer and journalist <strong>Hienad\u017a Ma\u017eejka<\/strong> (from 01.10.2021); the founder of Symbal.by, the manager of the cultural projects <strong>Paviel Bielavus<\/strong> (from 15.11.2021); fiction writer and journalist <strong>Siarhiej Sacuk <\/strong>(from 08.12.2021); musician <strong>Kry\u015bcina \u010carankova<\/strong> (from 22.03.2022); teacher-artist <strong>Andrej Raptunovi\u010d <\/strong>(from 16.05.2022); former director of the event agency KRONA <strong>Siarhiej Hu\u0144 <\/strong>(from 03.06.2022); designer and photographer <strong>Dzianis \u0160aramie\u0107je\u016d<\/strong> <a href=\"#s_7\" name=\"_ftnref7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[7]<\/a> (from 14.06.2022); teacher of Belarusian language and literature <strong>Halina Tarno\u016dskaja <\/strong>(from 25.07.2022); architect and musician <strong>Aliaksandr Kucharenka<\/strong> (from 02.08.2022); ceramist <strong>Nata\u013alia Karniejeva<\/strong> (from 19.08.2022); local historian and journalist <strong>Ja\u016dhien Mierkis<\/strong> (from 13.09.2022).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Artist and interior designer <strong>Kanstancin Prusa\u016d<\/strong> (sentenced to 3.5 years in penal colony on 09.02.2022); sound engineer <strong>Vadzim Dzienisienka<\/strong> (sentenced to 2.5 years in colony on 23.03.2022); director <strong>D\u017amitryj Pancialiejka<\/strong>(sentenced to a year in colony on 28.03.2022); bassist <strong>Viktar Kato\u016dski<\/strong> (sentenced to 3 years in colony on 14.04.2022); theater actress <strong>Viera \u0106vikievi\u010d <\/strong>(06.05.2022 sentenced to a year in prison); writer <strong>Aliaksandr Novika\u016d<\/strong>(sentenced to 2 years in colony on 27.06.2022); student of Romance-Germanic philology <strong>Danuta Pieriednia,<\/strong> expelled from the Moscow State University named after Kuleshov (sentenced to 6.5 years in colony on 01.07.2022); DJ <strong>Ihar Faliej\u010dyk<\/strong> (sentenced to 2 years in colony on 07.07.2022); \u00a0participant of folk art festivals <strong>Aliaksiej Via\u010derni<\/strong>(sentenced to a year and 9 months in prison on 08.07.2022); publicist, author of prison literature and activist <strong>\u0179micier Da\u0161kievi\u010d <\/strong><a href=\"#s_8\" name=\"_ftnref8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[8]<\/a> (sentenced to 1.5 years in prison on 14.07.2022); ethnographer and traveler <strong>Ihar Halu\u0161ka <\/strong><a href=\"#s_9\" name=\"_ftnref9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[9]<\/a> (sentenced to 2.5 years in prison on 14.07.2022); librarian <strong>Julija \u010camlaj <\/strong>(sentenced to 2 years in colony on 18.07.2022); photographer <strong>Valieryj Klimien\u010danka<\/strong> (sentenced to 1.5 years in colony on 01.08.2022); musician <strong>Uladzisla\u016d Pliu\u0161\u010da\u016d<\/strong> (sentenced to 2 years in colony on 04.08.2022); photographer <strong>Aliaksandr Kudlovi\u010d<\/strong> (sentenced to 2 years in colony on 17.08.2022); digital artist <strong>Viktar Kulinka<\/strong> (sentenced to 3 years in a high-security colony 01.09.2022); writer, translator and literary critic<strong> Aliaksandr Fiaduta<\/strong> (05.09.2022 sentenced to 10 years in a high-security colony); administrator of the cultural and historical Telegram channel Rezystans <strong>Mikita \u015aliepianok<\/strong> (sentenced to 3 years in a high-security colony on 09.06.2022); artist <strong>Hanna Kisialiova<\/strong> (sentenced to 1.5 years in colony on 15.09.2022); designer <strong>Maryna Markievi\u010d<\/strong> (sentenced to 2.5 years in colony on 15.09.2022); documentary filmmaker and journalist <strong>Ksienija Luckina<\/strong> (sentenced to 8 years in colony on 28.09.2022).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Chairperson of the Union of Poles in Belarus <strong>And\u017celika Borys<\/strong> and former teacher of Belarusian language and literature<strong> Ema \u015aciepulionak<\/strong> were transferred to <span style=\"color: #3366ff\"><strong>house arrest <\/strong><\/span>after a year of detention and still remain under political prisoner&#8217;s status.<a href=\"\/\/D9CE03C3-7298-4CEA-8624-9CAA4063311E#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11450 size-full\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd2-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd2-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd2-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd2-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd2-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Along with 101 political prisoners who are cultural figures, another <span style=\"color: #ff0000\"><strong>19 <\/strong><\/span>representatives of the sphere are in criminal detention [of those whose status we know about]: DJ <strong>Vita\u013a Kalie\u015bnika\u016d <\/strong>(in penal colony); history reconstructor <strong>Vadzim \u0160y\u013ako <\/strong>(in remand prison); graphic designers <strong>Uladzimir Jar\u0161o\u016d<\/strong> (in colony) and <strong>Siarhiej Stocki<\/strong> (no information); poet, producer and blogger <strong>Uladzisla\u016d Savin <\/strong>(transferred from colony to a detention center); musicians <strong>Vadzim Hulievi\u010d <\/strong>and<strong> Siarhiej Nikiciuk<\/strong> (no information about the places of detention); light artist <strong>Vadzim Vasi\u013aje\u016d <\/strong>(in a detention center); artist <strong>Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d<\/strong> (no information); singer <strong>Meryjem Hierasimienka <\/strong>(in a detention center); tour guide <strong>Aksana Mankievi\u010d <\/strong><a href=\"#s_10\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[10]<\/a> (in a detention center). Some are serving a &#8220;home chemistry&#8221; <a href=\"#s_11\" name=\"_ftnref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[11]<\/a> sentence: translator <strong>Vo\u013aha Kalackaja<\/strong>; poet and musician <strong>Hanna Va\u017enik<\/strong>; designer <strong>Ta\u0107ciana Minina<\/strong>; cultural manager <strong>Rehina Lavor<\/strong>;humorist and KVN participant <strong>Vasi\u013a Kra\u016d\u010duk<\/strong>; Russian language and literature teacher <strong>Aliena Pucykovi\u010d<\/strong>; former manager of the Pru\u017eanski palacyk museum <strong>Juryj Zialievi\u010d<\/strong>; author, Wikipedia editor and IT specialist <strong>Mark Bernstein.<\/strong><a href=\"\/\/8433C409-FEFA-4466-818B-DF69AE0D9FDB#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\"><strong>III.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>JUDICIAL SENTENCES AGAINST CULTURAL FIGURES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">A total of <strong>62 cultural figures were convicted<\/strong> in the first nine months of 2022. The charges against them ranged from one to six articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. Most often they included one or more defamation articles (188, 367-370): for &#8220;insulting&#8221; or &#8220;slandering&#8221; Lukashenko or other representatives of power, &#8220;discrediting Belarus&#8221; \u2013 under the Lukashenko\u2019s regime this is punishment for expressing opinions about what is happening in the country: 22 cultural figures had one of the defamation articles in their charges; musician Aliaksandr Kazakievi\u010d was convicted twice under the same article. The second most frequent charge is Article 342 (\u201cOrganization and preparation of events that grossly violate public order, or active participation in such\u201d) \u2013 criminal prosecution for participation in peaceful assemblies at the 2020 protests: 21 cultural figures were convicted solely on the basis of this article, another 6 had this and other charges as part of the &#8220;crime&#8221; they had committed. The third \u2013 criminal prosecution under Article 130 (incitement of enmity or discord), also used by the judicial system of Belarus as a punishment for expressing opinions \u2013 was present in the charges of 11 cultural workers.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11451 size-full\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd3-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd3-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd3-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd3-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd3-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Most of the cultural figures were sentenced to a penal colony.\u00a0 Thus, 8 people were or will be sent to a high-security colony, another 32 to a common one. 12 cultural figures were sentenced to &#8220;chemistry&#8221;, 10 \u2013 to &#8220;house chemistry&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-11452 size-full\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd4-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd4-2.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd4-2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd4-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/slajd4-2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>IV<span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><strong>CULTURAL FIGURES ABOUT WHOM WE HAVE INCOMPLETE INFORMATION<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">During January \u2013 September 2022, we recorded the detention of a string of cultural figures about whom we have no further information (in full or in part): On February 18, musician and student <strong>Kanstancin Zimnicki<\/strong> was detained \u2013 there was no further information about him; musician <strong>Andrej Zadziarko\u016dski <\/strong>(May 5); history teacher at Minsk Languistic and Humanities College <strong>Andrej Darachovi\u010d <\/strong>(May 16); designer <strong>Alina Ka\u016dtuno\u016dskaja <\/strong>(May 17): it is known that she is charged under article 342, but there is no information about her current whereabouts. On 3 August director and founder of the tourist company Vijapo\u013a <strong>Halina Patajeva <\/strong>was detained. The same happened to manager of the bar Banki-Bute\u013aki <strong>Andrej \u017duk <\/strong>on 4 August (it is known that he is now in pre-trial detention, but there is no information about the charges brought against him); on 17 August to illustrator <strong>Vadzim Bahryj <\/strong>(there is information about article 130 of the Criminal Code, but no information about where he is being held); on 18 August to bard and writer <strong>Aliaksiej Ilin\u010dyk <\/strong>and artist <strong>Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d <\/strong>(the latter was charged under article 342, but there is no information about his current whereabouts). We also know about three criminal charges against musician <strong>Siarhiej Nikiciuk,<\/strong> who was arrested on 25 August, but neither his whereabouts are known. On August 27 guitarist <strong>Zachar Sabin<\/strong> was detained. On September 13 the fact that historian <strong>Ja\u016dhien Huryna\u016d <\/strong>had been arrested came to light; it has not been revealed what charges were brought against guide <strong>Aksana Mankievi\u010d, <\/strong>who was arrested on 14 September and is held in a detention center; on 21 September we got to know about the detention of <strong>Arciom \u015alizki<\/strong>, director of the project Unknown narrow-gauge railroads, engaged in the preservation and popularization of the heritage of narrow-gauge rail lines. On September 22 <strong>D\u017amitryj Jurtaje\u016d, <\/strong>children&#8217;s writer and private school teacher, has been detained. On September 28 we got to know about the detention of musician <strong>Alieh Samsona\u016d.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>V.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>CONDITIONS OF DETENTION, STRENGTHENING OF SECURITY MEASURES, AND THE PRACTICE OF REPEATED TRIALS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Persecution of cultural figures develops after they become political prisoners. There is a lot of evidence that administrative convicts face unsanitary conditions, cold, lack of mattresses in their cells, overcrowding, prohibition of correspondence, reading and walks, night inspections, poor-quality medical care, rude treatment by employees of the penitentiary system, etc.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">We continue to receive reports from cultural figures detained and convicted under criminal articles that they regularly face obstruction of correspondence and deprivation of parcels, restriction of walks, reading and participating in sports activities, prohibition of calls and visits to relatives, communication with other prisoners, refusal of hospitalization, etc. There are many additional &#8220;<strong>precautions<\/strong>&#8221; that are being taken for political prisoners, which creates more room for control and deprivation. Another way of exerting pressure is the imposition of administrative penalties on political prisoners for spurious reasons. For instance, Maryja Kalie\u015bnikava, a musician and manager of cultural projects, received her second reprimand because, according to the colony administration, she interrupted the head of the penal colony during the first reprimand.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">One of the common practices of pressurizing prisoners disloyal to the authorities is placing them in a cell inside <strong>pre-trial detention centers (SIZO)<\/strong> or in a solitary confinement. History promoter and blogger Eduard Pa\u013a\u010dys, author of prison literature and anarchist activist Mikalaj Dziadok, ethnographer Uladzimir Hundar, philanthropist Viktar Babaryka, non-fiction author and journalist Alieh Hru\u017adzilovi\u010d, writer and activist Aliena Hna\u016dk, non-fiction Internet author and blogger Paviel Vinahrada\u016d were placed there once, each for 10 days or more. Mikalaj Dziadok was given the opportunity to &#8220;celebrate&#8221; New Year\u2019s Eve in a solitary confinement and then his birthday in a SIZO cell. Author of prison literature and anarchist activist Ihar Alinievi\u010d was also placed there on his birthday.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">For &#8220;persistent violations\u201d political prisoners can be sent to <strong>special cells<\/strong>, from which they can leave only for work and a half-hour walk a day, where restrictions are imposed on parcels, letters, purchases of necessities in the prison store, etc. It is known that during the analyzed period Mikalaj Dziadok (4 months), cameraman Via\u010dasla\u016d Lamanosa\u016d (duration unknown), artist Alie\u015b Pu\u0161kin (5 months), and UX\/UI-designer D\u017amitryj Kubara\u016d (6 months) have been or may still be in such cells.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">For &#8220;disturbing order at the place where the sentence is being served&#8221; one can be transferred to a \u201c<strong>covered prison<\/strong>\u201dor to <strong>institutions with higher security and worse conditions<\/strong>. In March 2022, the Human Rights Center &#8220;Viasna&#8221; reported about 28 political prisoners (known cases) who were transferred to prison. Representatives of the cultural sphere of the country are among them. Thus, the court had decided to replace the &#8220;chemistry&#8221; with 8.5 months in penal colony for the poet and beekeeper Mikalaj Papieka. From the colony to the prison regime were transferred artist and cartoonist Ivan Viarbicki (term unknown), artist Aliaksandr Nurdzina\u016d (2 years), author of prison literature Mikalaj Dziadok (2 years and 10 months), promoter of history and blogger Eduard Pa\u013a\u010dys (duration unknown) and cultural manager and blogger Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski (3 years), who was transferred to prison just after a month in the colony.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Regarding the practice of repeated trials: We know from public reports that in order to exert further pressure on those brought to administrative responsibility for political reasons the administration uses a method that is known as &#8220;carousel&#8221;. It is a practice of <strong>retrial,<\/strong> when at the end of serving one day in penitentiary a prisoner is put on another trial and immediately arrested for another day. This is what happened during the analyzed period to the manager of cultural projects and human rights activist Aliaksandr Kapucki, book publisher Andrej Janu\u0161kievi\u010d, literary critic Nasta Karnackaja, teacher-artist Andrej Raptunovi\u010d, musician Barys \u017dacho\u016dski, singer Meryjem Hierasimienka, musician Ihar Bancar, philosophy teacher at Minsk Theological Academy and priest Uladzisla\u016d Bahamo\u013anika\u016d, poet Anato\u013a Sanacienka.\u00a0 On several occasions administrative cases turned later into criminal prosecution.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">All this also happens to those who had already been convicted of criminal offenses. For example, there were <strong>repeated proceedings<\/strong> against literary critic and journalist Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvalava) which resulted not only in her not being released in early September 2022 upon expiration of her first sentence (two years in a minimum-security colony), but also in her being sentenced again to eight years and three months in a high-security colony. One of the defendants in &#8220;The A\u016dtuchovi\u010d case&#8221; [alleged preparation of an act of terrorism] is ethnographer Uladzimir Hundar <a href=\"#s_12\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[12]<\/a>, who is already serving a three-year sentence in colony. A few months after the first verdict (3 years of &#8220;home chemistry&#8221;) librarian Julija Laptanovi\u010d was detained and sentenced to 5 years in colony in a new criminal case. A week after the first trial and the sentence of 1.5 years of &#8220;house chemistry,&#8221; musician Aliaksandr Kazakievi\u010d was detained again under the same criminal article and after two months in pre-trial detention was sentenced to a total of 2 years of &#8220;house chemistry\u201d. Writer and activist Aliena Hna\u016dk is a record-breaker in the number of sentences: first she was sentenced to 2 years of &#8220;house chemistry&#8221;, the second time \u2013 to 3 years of &#8220;house chemistry&#8221; (a total of the sentences), the third time \u2013 to 3.5 years in colony. It has also been revealed that another trial awaits poet, producer and blogger Uladzisla\u016d Savin and musician Uladzisla\u016d Pliu\u0161\u010da\u016d.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\"><strong>VI.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>CULTURAL FIGURES ON LISTS OF &#8220;EXTREMISTS&#8221; AND &#8220;TERRORISTS&#8221;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">During the nine months of 2022, <strong>30 cultural figures<\/strong> were added to the list of persons &#8220;<strong>involved in extremist activity<\/strong>&#8221; maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Maksim Znak, Maryja Kalie\u015bnikava, Paviel Sieviaryniec, Artur Amira\u016d, Mikalaj Dziadok, Eduard Pa\u013a\u010dys, Julija Laptanovi\u010d, Alie\u015b Pu\u0161kin, Arciom Fiedasienka, Andrej \u0160\u010dyhie\u013a, Vasi\u013a Kra\u016d\u010duk, Maksim \u0160a\u016dlinski, Siarhiej Spary\u0161, D\u017amitryj Padrez, Mia Mitkievi\u010d, Paviel \u015apiryn, Ihar Alinievi\u010d, Uladzisla\u016d Makaviecki, Paviel Piernika\u016d, Paviel Vinahrada\u016d, Viktar Kato\u016dski, Michail Laba\u0144, Ivan Par\u0161yn, Valieryj Klimien\u010danka, Vadzim Dzienisienka, Aliena Hna\u016dk, Juryj Zialievi\u010d, Aksana Ka\u015bpiarovi\u010d, Andrej Ku\u017anie\u010dyk and Andrej Piatro\u016dski. Counting those added to the list in the first half of October 2022, there are already <strong>54<\/strong> cultural figures on it at the time of publication of this report.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The names of <strong>12 cultural figures<\/strong> that included in the &#8220;List of organizations and individuals <strong>involved in terrorist activities<\/strong>&#8221; maintained by the State Security Committee are: Siarhiej Spary\u0161, Maksim Znak, Maryja Kalie\u015bnikava, Danuta Pieradnia, Aksana Ka\u015bpiarovi\u010d, Aliaksiej Parecki, Ivan Viarbicki, Julija \u010camlaj, Paviel Vinahrada\u016d, Siarhiej Cichano\u016dski, Viktar Kato\u016dski i Ivan Par\u0161yn. With four more people who are on the list from 2021 (Ihar Alinievi\u010d, Paviel Latu\u0161ka, Anton Mato\u013aka, Vadzim Hilievi\u010d) also Andrzej Poczobut and Ihar Halu\u0161ka (who were added in October 2022) \u2013 at the time of publication of the report, at least <strong>18<\/strong> cultural figures have the status of &#8220;terrorists&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Paviel Sapielka, lawyer of the Human Rights Center Viasna, notes that people on these lists suffer a significant &#8220;loss of rights&#8221; for the term of their criminal record and after. It applies to the ability to engage in certain activities, and the difficulty of conducting financial transactions, and a few others. Violin teacher Aksana Ka\u015bpiarovi\u010d, who was released from prison at the end of her sentence, said that her name on the terrorist list resulted in the blocking of all her bank accounts and the inability to open new ones, which, in turn, deprived her of the opportunity to work in Belarus <a href=\"#s_13\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[13]<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>VII.<span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\">\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><strong>LIQUIDATION AND CLOSURE OF ORGANIZATIONS AND ART SPACES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Lawtrend alongside with the OEEC monitors the <strong>forced liquidation <\/strong><a href=\"#s_14\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[14]<\/a> and<strong> self-liquidation <\/strong><a href=\"#s_15\" name=\"_ftnref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[15]<\/a><strong> of non-profit organizations<\/strong>. From January to September 2022, at least 49 public organizations registered as cultural or having such a component in their activities were subjected to forced liquidation. Among them was the institution of culture Terytoryja Miuzikla Theater. In the semi-annual report it was mentioned that at the beginning of the year the theater had to cancel its performances twice for reasons beyond its control, its activity was suspended and in July it was liquidated by the decision of Minsk City Executive Committee. There were several cases of appeal but none of the court decisions have been overturned.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>The<\/strong> <strong>persecution of independent publishers<\/strong> continues. In spring the Ministry of Information has suspended the activity of 4 independent publishers that printed books of Belarusian authors and in Belarusian language for three months: Medysont and Goliaths \u2013 since April 15<sup>th<\/sup>, Limarius and Knihazbor&#8221; \u2013 since May 16<sup>th<\/sup>. To date, there is no indication that any of these publishers have been allowed to continue their work after three months. Besides, according to the state register, Goliaths and Limarius are already in the process of liquidation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Since mid-May the activity of Minsk music club Brugge has been &#8220;<strong>suspended<\/strong>&#8220;. &#8220;For technical reasons&#8221; the bar Banki-Butelki was closed, which was inspected by the Ministry of Taxes and Duties of the Republic of Belarus on 4 August, and its manager Andrej \u017duk was detained the same evening. At the beginning of September representatives of the law enforcement agencies \u201cpaid a visit\u201d to the antiques store Bur\u017euaznyja Ka\u0161to\u016dna\u015bci, which has also been <strong>closed<\/strong>\u201cdue to technical reasons\u201d. On September 16<sup>th<\/sup> the musical bar Graffiti was closed. It had opened in Minsk in 1999 and became a landmark in the music industry. In the first half of the year Lo-Fi Social Club, the cultural center Korpus, and the event space Miesca announced the termination of their work in Minsk, and the gallery 400 squares has been closed in Hrodna.<\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"\/\/D2E0E314-D9E9-4F90-8D5D-AD1876A8F341#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\"><strong>VIII.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>CENSORSHIP AND SELF-CENSORSHIP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In Belarus, the existence of <strong>censorship<\/strong>, the control by the state over the content of artistic works (in the broad sense), is an indisputable fact. For decades there has been a phenomenon of &#8220;black lists&#8221; of musicians disloyal to the authorities; we know about the list of actors, writers, and even photographers who are prohibited from free distribution of their works; there is an unspoken ban on the profession. Over the past two years, we have regularly documented the cancellation of performances, the removal of books by certain authors from libraries and stores, refusals to grant touring certificates, etc.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Thus, during the analyzed period was canceled spectacle <em>Graded Essay <\/em>(\u201c\u041a\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0440\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u0435 \u0441\u0430\u0447\u044b\u043d\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0435\u201d) at the Belarusian Theater for Young Audience, the plot of which is based on the conflict between the school administration and the graduates, who seek justice. At the Musical Theater, the premiere of the operetta <em>The Duchess from Chicago<\/em>(\u201c\u0413\u0435\u0440\u0446\u043e\u0433\u0438\u043d\u044f \u0438\u0437 \u0427\u0438\u043a\u0430\u0433\u043e\u201d) was canceled as the play alludes to the current events (e.g., jokes about the beginning of the war). Plays by some authors were removed from the repertoire of several theaters and as mentioned above, the Terytoryja Miuzikla Theater was liquidated.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The following art exhibitions were censored: <em>Troubling Suitcase<\/em> (\u201c\u0422\u0440\u0435\u0432\u043e\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u043c\u043e\u0434\u0430\u043d\u0447\u0438\u043a\u201d) in the gallery of the Union of Designers; <em>The Time of Screens <\/em>(\u201c\u0427\u0430\u0441 \u044d\u043a\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430\u045e\u201d) by Ryhor Ivano\u016d, <em>Demography <\/em>(\u201c\u0414\u044d\u043c\u0430\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0456\u044f\u201d) by Siarhiej Hrynievi\u010d and <em>Art-Minsk<\/em> in the Minsk Palace of Arts; <em>SCULPTURE<\/em> in the gallery 400 squares in Hrodna; <em>This is a diagnosis<\/em> (\u201c\u042d\u0442\u043e \u0434\u0438\u0430\u0433\u043d\u043e\u0437\u201d) in the Minsk Factory space. We know of other cases of interference and control \u2013 when representatives of administration came to the exhibitions and ordered to remove certain authors&#8217; works. For unknown reasons, several murals in Minsk were painted over by the decision of local authorities.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Singer Meryjem Hierasimienka was arrested the day after a street concert where, among other things, she performed a song written by the Ukrainian band Okean Elzy. There were several cases of unjustified detention of street musicians. It is known that a representative of security agencies is always present in the hall during the concerts of the state bands and orchestras. The Ministry of Culture did not allow a tour of the band Shortparis as its frontman Mikalaj Kamiahin is known for his anti-war stance.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Books by \u015aviatlana Alieksijevi\u010d, Sa\u0161a Filipienka and some other writers continue to be withdrawn from libraries. After a denunciation by a pro-governmental activist, several books on LGBT topics were removed from OZ Books stores. The publishers were forced to withdraw from stores books that had been improperly included by the Ministry of Information into the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Censorship made it impossible to organize the official screening of the film <em>Three Comrades <\/em>(\u201c\u0422\u0440\u044b \u0442\u0430\u0432\u0430\u0440\u044b\u0448\u044b\u201d) by Uladzimir Kazlo\u016d in Belarus.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The Ministry of Information blocked the website of the photo project <em>The Square of Changes<\/em> and an independent literature and popular science magazine <em>ARCHE<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Due to the potential threat of persecution for creative expression, the phenomenon known as <strong>self-censorship<\/strong> is gaining momentum. Currently, Belarusian creators tend to work anonymously on their projects, events are often of closed nature, and many activities are suspended or canceled.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">We regularly receive messages of the following content: &#8220;&#8230; <em>refused to give a public lecture so as not to attract any unnecessary attention<\/em>&#8220;, &#8220;&#8230; <em>for security reasons decided not to continue holding a literary <\/em>&#8230;&#8221;, &#8220;&#8230; <em>said that under the name of &#8230; it is better not to hold this festival<\/em>&#8220;, &#8220;&#8230; <em>asked to remove from social networks &#8230; publication of her illustrations<\/em>&#8220;, &#8220;&#8230; <em>refused to award the Alie\u015b Adamovi\u010d Literary Award<\/em>&#8220;, etc.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Not all works of art end up in the exhibition space by the decision of their authors. Many events are held online \u2013 for instance, the festival of independent filmmaking HLIADA\u010c, which was supposed to take place in Minsk offline. Cancelation of an event may not be the only option, even if it had already attracted the attention of the security agencies, but it must be done as inconspicuously as possible \u2013 e.g., The Orsha Battle festival was held like this. Numerous creators of documentaries, reports, articles and other materials remain anonymous. Tour guides during their excursions are forced to choose words and choose what they can or should not talk about, because &#8220;<em>you never know who could be listening to you<\/em>&#8220;.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>IX.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>POLONOPHOBIA AND THE DESTRUCTION OF POLISH PLACES OF MEMORY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">From the beginning of the protests in August 2020 [that arose in response to the rigged presidential election and unprecedented violence by the security forces] to the present day, the Lukashenko regime has engaged in the anti-Western rhetoric and even more in the anti-Polish rhetoric. Having made Poland one of the enemies of the Belarusian people, the authorities exert massive pressure on the Polish minority and conduct a slanderous anti-Polish campaign in the media.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Thus, in March 2021, the leadership of the Union of Poles, unregistered in Belarus, was detained. Its chairperson And\u017celika Borys and member of the Union Andrzej Poczobut are defendants in the &#8220;rehabilitation of Nazism&#8221; case and are considered political prisoners. Artist Alie\u015b Pu\u0161kin, also detained at the end of March 2021, has been serving a 5-year sentence in a high-security colony since April 2022 for his portrait of Ja\u016dhien \u017dychar, a member of the anti-Bolshevik post-war underground, whom, according to the indictment, he &#8220;<em>glorified<\/em>\u201d. Throughout 2021 pressure was put on members and activists of the Union of Poles and the Polish minority throughout Belarus. Additionally, the Polish School in Brest was liquidated. Polish Institute in Minsk has been inactive for a while, its website and social media pages have not been updated since spring and summer 2021, and the Union of Poles in Belarus&#8217; website znadniemna.pl was declared extremist material in December. In May 2022 the same fate befell on nadniemnemgrodno.pl. In February, the resource Radio Racyja, a media outlet based in Poland that criticizes the government of Belarus, was added to the list. In April, the Internet resource MOST (&#8220;<em>information bridge between Belarus and Poland<\/em>&#8220;, as stated on the site) was also added to the list. \u00a0Same happened to the Polish websites polskieradio.pl and polskieradio24.pl in late July 2022.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The list of non-profit organizations subject to forced liquidation in January-September 2022 also includes the oldest Polish organizations operating in Belarus: Club of Polish Folk Traditions (registered in 1994), Society of Polish Culture in Lid\u010dina (1994), Polish Scientific Society (1994), Polska Macierz Szkolna (1995), and Wsp\u00f3lnota Polak\u00f3w (2019).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">On the recommendation of the state security bodies in Pinsk the planned events dedicated to the 90<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of Ryszard Kapuscinski, a well-known Polish writer and journalist, were cancelled. As a result of pressure and statements of a pro-governmental activist about the &#8220;pro-Poland&#8221; character of the literary critic and translator Adam Maldis, the Hrodna Regional Executive Committee suspended the procedure of naming the Astravecki district library after Adam Maldis, an honorable native of Astrave\u0441ki district.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Similarly, in 2022, at the new stage of persecution of Poles, Polish [and Lithuanian] minorities have been deprived of the opportunity to study in their native language. According to new law <a href=\"#s_16\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[16]<\/a>, from September 1<sup>th<\/sup> only the state language [Russian or Belarusian] can be the language of teaching. That is why teaching in Polish schools in Hrodna and Va\u016dkavysk is conducted in Russian language from the new school year and Polis was reduced just to a subject \u2013 one hour a week of Polish language and literature lessons.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">One of the topics of anti-Polish rhetoric in the state media concerns the partisans of the Polish Home Army, whichallegedly purposely exterminated Belarusians during World War II. Back in April 2021, official Minsk initiated criminal proceedings against former fighters of the army, and at the end of June 2022 the destruction of the &#8220;unnecessary&#8221; memory \u2013 the Polish historical heritage in Belarus began <a href=\"#s_17\" name=\"_ftnref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[17]<\/a>. As of the end of September, at least 12 memorial sites in Hrodna region were damaged: in the following villages: Jedkavi\u010dy, Stryje\u016dka, Surkanty, Pliabani\u0161ki, Mikuli\u0161ki, Ka\u010dy\u010dy, Pieska\u016dcy, Bahdany, Babrovi\u010dy, Dyndyli\u0161ki. Not only that, in Va\u016dkavysk and A\u0161miany vandals pushed back gravestones, destroyed the graves of soldiers. By order of the local authorities, a memorial plaque in memory of soldiers of the Home Army was removed from the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in I\u016dje. A similar memorial plaque had been removed from the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary in town Soly back in August 2021.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In September this year, Lukashenko drew attention to the holders of the Pole Card: &#8220;<em>they<\/em><em> either<\/em><em> are citizens of Belarus, or<\/em><em> maybe<\/em><em> they are just misguided,<\/em><em> pretending that they<\/em><em> took this card by accident, or they have a different <\/em><em>kind of \u201c<\/em><em>orientation<\/em>\u201d <a href=\"#s_18\" name=\"_ftnref3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[18]<\/a>. Soon after the statement, the first evidence began to come in that the law enforcement authorities started collecting data on the citizens&#8217; ability to relocate to another state or a Pole&#8217;s Card.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;color: #3366ff\"><strong>X.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>OTHER NEGATIVE TRENDS IN THE SPHERE OF CULTURE <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"text-align: justify\"><strong>Discrimination of the Belarusian language<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Violation of the rights of Belarusian-speaking citizens and discriminatory attitude to the Belarusian language remain. Belarusians are persecuted for their &#8220;Belarusianness,&#8221; and there is evidence that talking in the Belarusian language can be the reason for being detained on the street. In the penitentiary system, as well as in public services, employees of institutions may demand that they be spoken to &#8220;in a normal language&#8221; [Russian]. There is very little Belarusian, one of the two state languages, in the public space as well. Thus, banners developed by the Ministry of Culture in honor of anniversaries of famous Belarusian figures appeared all over Belarus this summer \u2013 all of them exclusively in Russian. Numerous outdoor advertisements devoted to the so-called Year of Historical Memory were also made in Russian. The suppression of the use of the Belarusian language leads to under-enrollment in Belarusian-language classes, low demand for the specialty &#8220;Belarusian language and literature&#8221; (for example, the University of Hrodna submitted only 16 applications for the new enrollment) and other issues.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Dismissals from state cultural and educational institutions<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Dismissals of specialists disloyal to the regime, who work in the sphere of culture or teach about culture, language, and history in educational institutions has been present in all of Belarus since the second half of 2020. The monitoring contains information about 55 cases of dismissal, non-renewal of the contract or creation of conditions for the employee to quit &#8220;by mutual agreement of the parties&#8221;. There were cases of dismissal from the Ministry of Culture, the Theater for Young Audience, the Republican Theatre of Belarusian Drama in Minsk, the Yakub Kolas National Academic Drama Theatre, the Mahilio\u016d Drama and Comedy Theater, the University of Culture, the Minsk State Gymnasium-College of Arts, the Belarusian State Philharmonic Society, the Grand Theater of Opera and Ballet, Yakub Kolas Institute of Linguistics, National Historical Archives of Belarus, Maksim Bagdanovich Literary Museum, Belkniga, <em>Mastactva<\/em> Magazine, Polack, Hrodna and Belarusian State Universities, secondary schools, and other educational institutions.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Recognizing materials as extremist<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In the third quarter of 2022, the list was updated with new websites and YouTube channels on culture: the previously mentioned polskieradio.pl and polskieradio24.pl, the website and social networks of the Belarusian Council for Culture, Symbal.by and Hodna.by, the YouTube channel TOK | TALK, etc. The list was also supplemented with the popular science encyclopedia &#8220;Luftwaffe Heroes&#8221; by Kanstancin Zalieski and the book \u201c<em>A short course of the history of Belarus <\/em><em>of the IX\u2013XXI centuries<\/em>\u201d by Anatol Taras. A total of 6 books have been added to the list of extremist materials during 9 months period of 2022.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Persecution for Belarusian and Ukrainian national symbols<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">Persecution for the use of white-red-white and Ukrainian (blue-yellow) symbols remains.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">In the conditions of the socio-political crisis, repressions, the ban on the profession, which has been very common for the last two years, cultural figures are leaving the country individually or all together \u2013 theater troupes, musical bands, publishing groups, etc. New books written by independent Belarusian publishers are issued abroad. Festivals, film shows, and other events are also held outside the country. Due to the departure of a large number of representatives of the independent cultural sector, the quality of the cultural product in the country is falling as a whole. The main demand of the state culture is for promotion of the theme of the Second World War and genocide of the Belarusian people: thematic expositions, &#8220;lessons of memory&#8221; and school elective courses, museum exhibitions, video projects, presentations of books and contests of creative works on this topic, mobile propaganda structures in the streets of cities, state purchases of films about the war etc. The government&#8217;s actions negate the possibility of cultural exchange and diversity. Foreign creators cannot [and do not want] to perform in Belarus. Only products of Russian culture are heavily imported into Belarus. The list of international events that took place without the participation of Belarusian (and Russian) performers grows, while Ukraine undertakes actions to reduce the presence of the Belarusian culture in its country.<\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"color: #3366ff;font-size: 14pt\"><strong>XI.\u00a0<\/strong><strong>STATE MONOPOLY OF CULTURAL ACTIVITIES<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">The state takes further steps to strengthen control in the sphere of culture and to minimize the presence of the independent sector in it by creating new registers, lists, commissions, attestations, etc. Here are a few examples ofexpansion of the state&#8217;s tools of control during the analyzed period.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify\">\n<li><strong>Register of organizers of cultural and entertainment events<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">On August 1<sup>th<\/sup>, a decree came into force, according to which only organizations which are in the register of organizers of cultural and entertainment events can carry out such activities. Organizers who are subject to inclusion in the register, but are not included in it, cannot hold cultural and entertainment events <a href=\"\/\/3DFBA8B0-0DF2-46B6-90C9-E11BA9CEE15D#_ftn1\" name=\"_ftnref1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[19]<\/a>. The list is formed and maintained by the Ministry of Culture or a person authorized by it, and in order to make a decision on inclusion in the register, the commission analyzes the artistic level of events previously held by that person, the presence of any violations, the criminal record or administrative responsibility of the organizer under a number of articles of the Criminal Code <a href=\"#s_20\" name=\"_ftnref2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[20]<\/a> [including defamation articles and the \u201cprotest\u201d 342<sup>d<\/sup>].<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>National Register of Tour Leaders and Guides<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On September 2<sup>d<\/sup>, the government adopted a decree no. 582 \u201cOn the excursion service\u201d <a href=\"#s_21\" name=\"_ftnref3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[21]<\/a>. According to it, tour leaders and guides are required to undergo an attestation, confirming their qualifications. Since 1 January 2023, only specialists listed in register maintained by the Ministry of Sports and Tourism will be allowed to work <a href=\"#s_22\" name=\"_ftnref4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[22]<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>The Book Quality Control Committee<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>On September 3<sup>d<\/sup> a senior member of the pro-government Union of Writers said that &#8220;<em>at the behest and with prompting<\/em>&#8221; of the Ministry of Information a Commission for monitoring the quality of books has been created and its main task will be to carry out public control over the products of bookstores in terms of their ideological component and artistic quality <a href=\"#s_23\" name=\"_ftnref5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">[23]<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Committee on Oversight over the Activities of The Institute of History<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This commission was created under Lukashenka&#8217;s Administration and is headed by deputy head of the Administration Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d. The commission consists of ideologically motivated historians.<a href=\"\/\/3DFBA8B0-0DF2-46B6-90C9-E11BA9CEE15D#_ftnref1\" name=\"_ftn1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">1] The procedure for recognition as a political prisoner is established by a certain framework document.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">2] On October 11, Piotr Mar\u010danka, Julija Mar\u010danka (Junickaja) and Anton \u0160nip were released after serving their full sentences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">3] This is the colloquial name for one of the types of punishment according to criminal articles \u2013 restriction of freedom with referral to an open-type correctional institution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">4] On October 14, Uladzimir Mackievi\u010d was transferred to a colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">5] On October 6, Andrej Aliaksandra\u016d was sentenced to 14 years in colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">6] On October 7, Siarhiej Dalivielia was sentenced to 2 years in prison.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">7] On October 18, Dzianis \u0160aramie\u0107je\u016dwas sentenced to 2 years in colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">8] In early October, \u0179micier Da\u0161kievi\u010dwas transferred to a colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">9] In early October, Ihar Halu\u0161ka was transferred to a colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_10\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">10] On October 5, Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d, Meryjem Hierasimienka and Aksana Mankievi\u010d were recognized as political prisoners.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">11] This is the colloquial name for one of the types of punishment according to criminal articles \u2013 restriction of freedom without sending to an open-type correctional institution.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">12] On October 17, local historian Uladzimir Hundar was sentenced to 18 years in a high-security colony.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_13\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">13] &#8220;I sacrificed many years of work to this country. Why am I being forced to leave?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_14\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">14] Monitoring of NGOs that are in the process of forced liquidation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">15] List of NGOs, in respect of which a decision on self-liquidation has been made.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_16\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">16] On changing the Code of the Republic of Belarus on education.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_17\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">17] Destruction of Polish memorials and cemeteries in Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_18\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">18] Lukashenko on the Pole Card.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">19] Register of organizers of cultural and spectator events in Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_20\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">20] About the register of organizers of cultural and spectator events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_21\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">21] Resolution &#8220;On the Excursion Service&#8221;.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">22] National Register of Tour Leaders and Guides.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">[<\/span><a id=\"s_23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\"><\/a><span style=\"font-size: 10pt\">23] The Book Quality Control Committee.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since October 2019, the Belarusian PEN has been systematically collecting information on violations of cultural and human rights against cultural figures. This document contains statistics and analysis of violations for the nine months of 2022 and reflects the main trends and nature of the state policy in the sphere of culture. The material was prepared<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11381,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4255,1],"tags":[4292,4256],"class_list":["post-11372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-right","category-news","tag-penanalytics","tag-kulturnyya-pravy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11372","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11372"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11372\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15821,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11372\/revisions\/15821"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11372"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11372"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11372"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}