{"id":13704,"date":"2023-12-18T10:31:37","date_gmt":"2023-12-18T10:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=13704"},"modified":"2024-01-24T20:13:40","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T20:13:40","slug":"hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-1-15-snezhnya-2023-goda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2023\/12\/18\/hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-1-15-snezhnya-2023-goda.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronicle of human rights violations in the sphere of culture (1-15 December 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"

As of 15 December 2023, at least 148 cultural figures, including not less than 32 People of the Word, were behind bars.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

A criminal case was opened against journalist, historian, writer and human rights defender Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Artist Uladzimir Lyk\u0161yn<\/b> was detained in a criminal case against the organisers of the Pismo.bel, an online service that facilitated electronic letters for political prisoners.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Interior Ministry of Belarus added human rights activist, writer, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ale\u015b Bialiacki<\/b> to the List of Belarus Citizens, Foreign Citizens or Stateless Persons Involved in Extremist Activities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Writer Siarhiej Antona\u016d<\/b> was detained and spent three days in a detention centre.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cultural event organiser, Belarusian language populariser Kastu\u015b Tenc<\/b> was sentenced to 15 days of arrest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aliaksiej Siemiancotso\u016d<\/b>, associate professor of the Department of Communication Design at the Faculty of Socio-Cultural Communications of the Belarusian State University, was detained.<\/p>\n

The former director of the Mahilio\u016d History Museum, Aliaksiej Baciuko\u016d<\/b>, journalist Barys Vyrvi\u010d<\/b>, the former professor of the Mahilio\u016d State University, writer Aliaksandr Ahieje\u016d<\/b>, and PhD in pedagogical sciences Ihar \u0160arucha<\/b> were detained.<\/p>\n

The Pahonia<\/b> (Pursuit) creative community, which existed within the Belarusian Union of Artists, was liquidated on orders from the Ministry of Culture.<\/p>\n

The property of the Padarosk estate, which housed the museum of the Belarusian nobility, was seized.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Svisla\u010d Gymnasium No. 1, named after the national hero of Belarus, Kastu\u015b Kalino\u016dski,<\/b> was renamed. It will be named after the WWII underground resistance fighter Prasko\u016dja Vasilenka.<\/p>\n

I. Politically motivated criminal cases against cultural workers, authors and performers<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/b> On 1 December 2023, it became known that a criminal case was initiated against journalist, historian, writer and human rights defender Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d<\/b> under Art. 361.4 of the Criminal Code (engaging in extremist activity): Part 1 (recruitment, other involvement of a person in extremist activity, training, as well as other facilitation of extremist activity), as well as Part 2 (the same actions committed repeatedly or by a group of persons through conspiracy, or an official using official powers). On 1 December 2023, police raided the apartment of Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d’s wife in Hrodna, where he lived between 2014 and 2021. Police officers took a computer processor, 25 books, a music CD, collectable postage stamps, envelopes, postcards, booklets, badges, and newspapers. They also seized household appliances (TV, refrigerator, washing machine). Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d headed several educational projects, co-edited a series of brochures for teachers, “Through Education to Civil Society” (Szczecin, 2001-2006), authored the “Belarusian calendar guide” (Vilnius, 2007), books about Belarusian material and spiritual values “Belarusian Gold” (2014). He is a member of the Union of Belarusian Writers. Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d has lived outside Belarus since 2021.<\/p>\n

2.<\/b> On 8 December 2023, it became known that artist Uladzimir Lyk\u0161yn<\/b> was detained with his brother Aliaksandr Lyk\u0161yn<\/b> in a criminal case. They are accused of participating in protests and being involved in the Pismo.bel, an online service through which people could send letters to political prisoners<\/p>\n

3.<\/b> On 8 December 2023, the Interior Ministry of Belarus entered human rights activist, writer, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ale\u015b Bialiacki<\/b> (Ales Bialiatski)<\/b> to the List of Belarus Citizens, Foreign Citizens or Stateless Persons Involved in Extremist Activities. When political prisoners get on the “extremists list,” their conditions of detention significantly worsen.<\/p>\n

II. Politically motivated administrative detentions and arrests of cultural workers, authors and performers<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/b> On 5 December 2023, Siarhiej Antona\u016d, journalist, correspondent of the Belarusian newspaper Pryvatny Detekty\u016d<\/i>, author of several works in the international literary series “Universe Metro 2033”, was detained in Mahilio\u016d and spent three days in a detention centre. Security agents came to Siarhiej Antona\u016d’s workplace and home and seized all the equipment. The writer was interrogated until midnight. Agents suggested that he confess to performing work for the mogilev.media website. Otherwise, they would send him to a KGB pre-trial jail. After that, Siarhiej Antona\u016d was placed in a detention centre for two days. Upon release, he immediately fled Belarus.<\/p>\n

2.<\/b> On 7 December 2023, cultural events organiser and host Michail Ma\u0144kievi\u010d<\/b> was detained in Hrodna for allegedly distributing extremist materials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3.<\/b> On 8 December 2023, Kastu\u015b Tenc<\/b>, a Belarusian State University of Transport student, cultural events organiser, populariser of the Belarusian language, was detained in Homiel and sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest under Art. 19.11 of the Code of Administrative Offences (dissemination of extremist materials).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

4.<\/b> On 8 December 2023, wood carver Aliaksandr Macura<\/b> was detained in Mijory, Viciebsk region.<\/p>\n

5.<\/b> On 15 December 2023, it became known about the detention in Minsk of Aliaksiej Siemianco\u016d<\/b>, an associate professor of the Department of Communication Design, Faculty of Socio-Cultural Communications at the Belarusian State University. Aliaksiej Siemianco\u016d is a member of the Union of Designers of Belarus. He is accused of participating in four peaceful protest marches in 2020.<\/p>\n

6.<\/b> On 15 December 2023, in Mahilio\u016d, police detained the former director of the Mahilio\u016d History Museum, Aliaksiej Baciuko\u016d<\/b>, journalist Barys Vyrvi\u010d<\/b>, former Mahilio\u016d State University professor and writer Aliaksandr Ahieje\u016d<\/b>, and PhD in pedagogical sciences Ihar \u0160arucha<\/b>.<\/p>\n

III.\u00a0Trials and arrests for using Belarusian and Ukrainian national symbols<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

1.<\/b> The Polack City and District Court sentenced a manager to 15 days of administrative arrest for the image of a white-red-white flag in his Telegram channel.<\/p>\n

2.<\/b> In Hrodna, a person was detained and convicted for allegedly spreading extremist materials. Police found on his social media pages a photo with white-red-white flags, taken on 25 March 2018, during the authorised rally and open-air concert dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic.<\/p>\n

3.<\/b> On 12 December 2023, police in \u010cervie\u0144, Minsk region, detained a man who, in 2020, hoisted a Belarusian national white-red-white flag on the roof of his privately owned house.<\/p>\n

IV. Conditions in places of detention, tortures of prisoners<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

1. Andrej Pa\u010dobut (Andrzej Poczobut) <\/b>has been deprived of parcels and meetings with family members in the penal colony in Navapolack since he started serving his term. Andrej Pa\u010dobut is an essayist, journalist, publicist, blogger, poet, songwriter, and musician. He authored the 2013 book System Bia\u0142oru\u015b (System Belarus), commissioned by a Polish publishing house. It raises issues specific not only to Belarus but also to the countries of the post-Soviet space. On 8 February 2023, the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Andrej Pa\u010dobut to eight years in a medium-security penal colony, finding him guilty under Art. 361 (3) of the Criminal Code (calls for restrictive measures (sanctions) aimed at harming national security), Art. 130 (3) of the Criminal Code (inciting national, religious and other social enmity or discord).<\/span><\/p>\n

On 26 May, the Supreme Court rejected in a closed-door session the appeal from journalist, essayist and poet\u00a0Andrej (Andrzej) Pa\u010dobut<\/b>\u00a0and upheld his sentence.<\/span><\/p>\n

On 23 June, the Ministry of Internal Affairs added Andrej Pa\u010dobut\u00a0<\/b><\/span>to the “List of Belarusian citizens, foreign citizens or stateless persons involved in extremist activities.”<\/p>\n

2.<\/b> Local history activist Uladzimir Hundar<\/b> is in solitary confinement in prison No. 4 in Mahilio\u016d <\/b>without time in the open air. <\/b>Uladzimir <\/b>is missing one leg but cannot walk with crutches because of worn-off rubber tips. The prison has failed to provide spare crutches.<\/p>\n

V. Repressions against cultural figures’ family members<\/b><\/p>\n

On 1 December 2023, in Navapolack, 69-year-old Anatol Trubkin<\/b> was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest. He has been behind bars since 30 November 2023 despite being visually impaired, suffering from diabetes, and having survived a stroke. Anatol Trubkin was detained on 30 November 2023 in a raid on the Navapolack apartment where his son, researcher and populariser of Belarusian history and culture, Aliaksiej Trubkin<\/b>, lived with him there before fleeing Belarus in 2006 due to political persecution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

VI. Repression against cultural organisations\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n

1. On 11 <\/b>December 2023, it became known that the Pahonia<\/b> (Pursuit) creative community, which existed within the Belarusian Union of Artists, was liquidated on orders from the Ministry of Culture. Established in 1990, the group aimed “to develop national art, preserve and multiply artistic assets of the cultural and historical heritage to awaken the national self-awareness of the people.” The community united 50 artists. The works of community members were repeatedly removed from exhibitions by cultural officials. The union leadership previously expelled the political prisoner Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d, who headed the community between 2011 and 2016. In May 2023, the Minsk City Court sentenced Hienad\u017a Drazdo\u016d to three years in prison under Art. 342 (1) of the Criminal Code (organising and preparing actions that grossly violate public order or actively participating in them) and Art. 361 (4) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activities).<\/p>\n

2. On 14 <\/b>December 2023, it became known about the judicial liquidation of the Association of Lithuanians “Gerv\u0117\u010diai <\/b><\/span>Club<\/b>” in Hrodna. The 394 members-strong organisation aimed to strengthen understanding between the peoples of Belarus and Lithuania.<\/p>\n

3.<\/b> On 13 December 2023, the Ver\u0161y cultural space and bar<\/b> team announced the closure on their Instagram page. Before this announcement, Vier\u0161y was closed for two weeks allegedly due to technical reasons.<\/p>\n

4.<\/b> On 14 December 2023, officials seized the property of the Padarosk estate<\/b>, which housed the Belarusian Nobility Museum. The estate will be deeded to the culture department of the Va\u016dkavysk District Executive Committee, as was the case until 2013. On 4 September 2023, the Va\u016dkavysk District Court ruled in the Va\u016dkavysk Department of Culture vs philanthropist <\/i>Paval Padkaryta\u016d<\/i><\/b> lawsuit to cancel the 2013 contract regarding the purchase of the estate in Padarosk over alleged “non-fulfilment of the contract terms to enter the objects into economic circulation.” The estate in Padarosk was formerly a noble estate, which the philanthropist has restored as a museum of the Belarusian nobility and a tourist centre for eight years. Paval Padkaryta\u016d plans to appeal the ruling in a higher court.<\/p>\n

VII. Repressions in the book sector<\/b><\/p>\n

On 6 December 2023, the Baranavi\u010dy City and District Court designated Aliaksandr Tataranka’s <\/b>book Bitter Years: The Tragedy of Western Belarus 1944-1954<\/b> as “extremist.” Aliaksandr Tataranka is also the author of Forbidden Memory: Western Belarus in Documents and Facts: 1921-1954.<\/p>\n

VIII. Repressions in the language field<\/b><\/p>\n

Under Luka\u0161enka’s order, the abolition of the Latin Belarusian alphabet from the names of geographical objects in Belarus must be completed by 18 December 2023.<\/p>\n

IX. De-Belarusisation, falsification of Belarusian history<\/b><\/p>\n

On 6 December 2023, the Svisla\u010d Gymnasium No. 1, named after the national hero of Belarus, Kastu\u015b Kalino\u016dski<\/b>, was renamed. It will be named after the WWII underground resistance fighter Prasko\u016dja Vasilenka. Gymnasium No. 1 in Svisla\u010d is one of the oldest educational institutions in Belarus, in operation since 18 September 1804.<\/p>\n

X. Dismissals of cultural figures<\/b><\/p>\n

The contract, expiring on 1 January 2024, has not been extended with the Vietka Folk Art Museum director, Piotr \u0421alko<\/b>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As of 15 December 2023, at least 148 cultural figures, including not less than 32 People of the Word, were behind bars. A criminal case was opened against journalist, historian, writer and human rights defender Uladzimir Chilmanovi\u010d.\u00a0 Artist Uladzimir Lyk\u0161yn was detained in a criminal case against the organisers of the Pismo.bel, an online service<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":13705,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4255,1],"tags":[4291,4285],"class_list":["post-13704","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-right","category-news","tag-chronicle","tag-hronika"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13704","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\/63"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13704"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13704\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13708,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13704\/revisions\/13708"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13704"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13704"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13704"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}