{"id":24040,"date":"2026-09-17T08:00:02","date_gmt":"2026-09-17T08:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=24040"},"modified":"2026-09-18T16:28:42","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T16:28:42","slug":"hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-1-15-verasnya-2026-goda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2026\/09\/17\/hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-1-15-verasnya-2026-goda.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronicle of human rights violations in the sphere of culture (1-15 September 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To report a violation (including confidentially) or to correct data presented in the report, please contact us at\u00a0dapamoha@penbelarus.org\u00a0or t.me\/viadoma.<\/em><\/p>\n

As of 15 September 2026, at least 127 cultural figures, including at least 22 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books reached 378.<\/b><\/p>\n

The head of the Pamia\u0107 Aj\u010dyny association, <\/span>Ihar Svirydzienka<\/b>, was convicted in a politically motivated criminal case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lawyer and musician <\/span>Dzmitryj \u0141aje\u016dski<\/b> was sentenced to three years in prison in a politically motivated criminal case.<\/span><\/p>\n

An sentence in absentia was handed down in the politically motivated criminal case against <\/span>Kaciaryna Mankievi\u010d<\/b>, vocalist of the band <\/span>Dymna Lotva<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

A sentence was handed down in the case against the <\/span>Sk\u0142ad Butelek<\/b> art space in Barysa\u016d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Promoters of Belarusian culture <\/span>Siarhiej Sa\u0142a\u0161<\/b> and <\/span>Dzmitryj Babicki<\/b> were each sentenced to five years in prison and a substantial fine<\/span>.<\/b><\/p>\n

The following books were designated as “extremist materials”: <\/span>Viarta\u0144nie na Radzimu<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Return to the Homeland<\/i><\/b>)<\/b> by <\/span>Anatol Sanacienka<\/b> (Minsk: Halijafy, 2016); <\/span>Niabiesny Lon<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Heavenly Flax<\/i><\/b>)<\/b> by <\/span>Anatol Var\u0161a\u016dski<\/b> (published on Kamunikat.org, 2024); and <\/span>Noa<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Noa<\/i><\/b>)<\/b> by <\/span>Marc Levy<\/b> (Moscow: Inostranka, Azbuka-Atticus, 2023).<\/span><\/p>\n

The website of the cultural foundation and literary publishing house <\/span>Kolegium Europy Wschodniej<\/b> was designated as “extremist”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Facebook accounts of journalists and non-fiction authors <\/span>Kaciaryna Andrejeva<\/b> and <\/span>Jury Drakachrust<\/b> were designated as “extremist”.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
I<\/strong>. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors, and performers<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> <\/span>On 4 September, it became known that <\/span>Ihar Svirydzienka<\/b>, head of the <\/span>Pamia\u0107 Aj\u010dyny<\/b> association, had been convicted in a politically motivated case under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activities). In 2025, authorities detained him and his wife, <\/span>Alena Svirydzienka<\/b>. Pamia\u0107 Aj\u010dyny was involved in searching for the remains of victims of World War II and Stalinist repression. The association was dissolved in March 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>2.<\/strong> On 9 September, the Minsk City Court sentenced lawyer and musician <\/span>Dzmitryj \u0141aje\u016dski<\/b> to three years’ imprisonment in a politically motivated case under Article 361-4 of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activities) and Article 369-1 (discrediting the Republic of Belarus). The charges stemmed from interviews he had given to independent media outlets. Authorities initiated criminal proceedings against \u0141aje\u016dski in August 2025. In 2020\u20132021, he represented politician <\/span>Viktar Babaryka<\/b>, and lawyer and writer <\/span>Maksim Znak<\/b>. In 2011\u20132012, he represented human rights defender and writer <\/span>Ale\u015b Bialacki<\/b>. \u0141aje\u016dski played in the Minsk band <\/span>Ka\u0142aryt Kulmana<\/b> and, more recently, occasionally performed with a jazz cover band.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>3.<\/strong> On 11 September, it became known that an in-absentia sentence had been handed down in the politically motivated case against <\/span>Kaciaryna Mankievi\u010d<\/b>, vocalist of the band Dymna Lotva. She was prosecuted under Part 1 of Article 289-1 of the Criminal Code (propaganda of terrorism), Part 1 of Article 290-1 (financing terrorist activities), Parts 1 and 2 of Article 361-4<\/span> (facilitating extremist activities), Article 366-1 (threat of violence against the President), and Part 1 of Article 368 (insulting the President).<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>4.<\/strong> On 14 September, a sentence was handed down in the case against the <\/span>Sk\u0142ad butelek<\/b> art space in Barysa\u016d. Promoters of Belarusian culture <\/span>Siarhiej Sa\u0142a\u0161<\/b> and <\/span>Dzmitryj Babicki<\/b> were each sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony and fined 800 base units (BYN 36,000, approximately USD 11,872)<\/span>.<\/b><\/p>\n

II. Banned books<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> On 1 September 2026, the Leninski District Court of Mahilo\u016d <\/span>designated two more books as “extremist materials”<\/span><\/a>: <\/span>Viarta\u0144nie na Radzimu<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Return to the Homeland<\/i><\/b>)<\/b> by <\/span>Anatol Sanacienka<\/b> (Minsk: Halijafy, 2016) and <\/span>Niabiesny Lion<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Heavenly Flax<\/i><\/b>)<\/b> by <\/span>Anatol Var\u0161a\u016dski<\/b> (published on Kamunikat.org, 2024).<\/span><\/p>\n

Anatol Sanacienka is a poet, prose writer, playwright, translator and editor. <\/span>Return to the Homeland<\/span><\/i> is his first book in Belarusian. It deals with “the homeland, women and love”, the author’s journey towards Belarusian language and identity, and includes translations from Guillaume Apollinaire, whose grandfather and mother came from Belarus. Anatol Var\u0161a\u016dski is a Belarusian poet and translator who lived and worked in Belarus in the 1990s and 2000s.<\/span><\/p>\n

2.<\/strong> On 7 September 2026, the Centralny District Court of Minsk designated the book <\/span>Noa<\/i><\/b> by <\/span>Marc Levy<\/b> (Moscow: Inostranka, Azbuka-Atticus, 2023) as “extremist material”. It is the final instalment of the trilogy about Group 9, a team of hackers who expose corruption and crimes committed by powerful individuals. The plot centres on an authoritarian state, political prisoners and an attempt to free an opposition figure. Part of the story takes place in Belarus, with recognisable settings including Minsk and Akrescina<\/span>.<\/b><\/p>\n

III. Cultural foundations designated as \u201cextremist\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

On 7 September 2026, the Leninski District Court of Brest designated the website of the cultural foundation and literary publishing house <\/span>Kolegium Europy Wschodniej<\/b> as “extremist”. The foundation’s mission is to promote knowledge about international relations and the culture of Eastern Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n

IV. Cultural figures\u2019 social media designated as \u201cextremist\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> On 4 September 2026, the H\u0142usk District Court of the Mahilio\u016d Region designated the Facebook account “Catarina Andreeva”, belonging to journalist and non-fiction author <\/span>Kaciaryna Andrejeva<\/b>, as “extremist”.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>2.<\/strong> On 4 September 2026, the H\u0142usk District Court of the Mahilio\u016d Region designated the Facebook account “Yury Drakakhrust”, belonging to journalist and non-fiction author <\/span>Jury Drakachrust<\/b>, as “extremist”.<\/span><\/p>\n

V. Transnational repression<\/b><\/h5>\n

Police carried out a search at the home of exiled activist and artist <\/span>Ihar Kla\u0161\u010duk<\/b>\u2019s mother.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Disclaimer: Belarusian personal names and proper names<\/h2>\n

Personal names<\/b><\/h5>\n

Personal names and surnames in this text are rendered using the traditional <\/span>Belarusian Latin alphabet <\/b>\u0141acinka<\/span><\/a>. We also provide their equivalents according to the current <\/span>Instruction on the Transliteration of Surnames and Given Names of Citizens of the Republic of Belarus<\/span><\/a>. Where direct access to official identity documents is unavailable, the transliterated forms of names may differ from the spellings used in official passport records.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Belarusian \u0141acinka<\/b><\/td>\nOfficial transliteration (since 23.10.2008)<\/b><\/td>\nOther known spellings<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Alena Svirydzienka<\/span><\/td>\nAlena Svirydzienka<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ale\u015b Bialacki<\/span><\/td>\nAlies Bialiatski<\/span><\/td>\nAles Bialiatski<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Anatol Sanacienka<\/span><\/td>\nAnatol <\/span>Sana<\/span>tsienka<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Anatol Var\u0161a\u016dski\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nAnatol Var<\/span>sh<\/span>a<\/span>w<\/span>ski<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dzmitryj Babicki\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nDzmitryj Babitski<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dzmitryj \u0141aje\u016dski<\/span><\/td>\nDzmitryj <\/span>L<\/span>aje<\/span>w<\/span>ski<\/span><\/td>\nDzmitry Layeuski \/ Dmitri Laevski<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ihar Kla\u0161\u010duk<\/span><\/td>\nI<\/span>g<\/span>ar Kla<\/span>shch<\/span>uk<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ihar Svirydzienka<\/span><\/td>\nIg<\/span>ar Svirydzienka<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jury Drakachrust<\/span><\/td>\nJury Draka<\/span>k<\/span>hrust<\/span><\/td>\nYury Drakakhrust<\/span> \/ <\/span>Jury<\/span>j<\/span> Drakachrust<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kaciaryna Andrejeva<\/span><\/td>\nKatsiaryna<\/span> Andrejeva<\/span><\/td>\nCatarina Andreeva<\/span> \/ <\/span>Katsyaryna Andreeva<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kaciaryna Mankievi\u010d<\/span><\/td>\nKatsiaryna Mankievi<\/span>ch<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Maksim Znak<\/span><\/td>\nMaksim Znak<\/span><\/td>\nMaxim Znak<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Siarhiej Sa\u0142a\u0161<\/span><\/td>\nSiar<\/span>g<\/span>iej Sa<\/span>l<\/span>a<\/span>sh<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Viktar Babaryka<\/span><\/td>\nViktar Babaryka<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Toponyms<\/b><\/h5>\n

Geographical names in this text are rendered using the traditional <\/span>Belarusian Latin alphabet <\/b>\u0141acinka<\/span><\/a>. We also provide their equivalents according to the current <\/span>Instruction on Rendering the Names of Geographical Features from Belarusian and Russian into Other Languages and on Transliteration of the Names of Geographical Features into the Latin Alphabet<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Belarusian \u0141acinka<\/b><\/td>\nOfficial transliteration (since 23.10.2008)<\/b><\/td>\nOther known spellings<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Akrescina (detention centre)<\/span><\/td>\nAkrescina<\/span><\/td>\nAkrestsina \/ Akre\u015bcina \/ Okrestina<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Barysa\u016d<\/span><\/td>\nBarysaw<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Brest\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nBrest<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Central<\/span>ny<\/span> (d<\/span>istrict<\/span>)<\/span><\/td>\nCentral<\/span>ny<\/span><\/td>\nCentral <\/span>(d<\/span>istrict<\/span>)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
H\u0142usk\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\nGlusk<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Leninski <\/span>(d<\/span>istrict<\/span>)<\/span><\/td>\nLeninski<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
Proper names of organisations, projects, etc.\u00a0<\/b><\/h5>\n

The names of Belarusian organisations, projects and similar entities in this text are rendered using the traditional <\/span>Belarusian Latin alphabet <\/b>\u0141acinka<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Belarusian \u0141acinka<\/b><\/td>\nOfficial transliteration<\/b><\/td>\nOther known spellings<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ka\u0142aryt Ku<\/span>l<\/span>mana<\/span> (<\/span>band)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\nKolorit_Kulmana<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Pamia\u0107 Aj\u010dyny (association)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sk\u0142ad <\/span>b<\/span>utelek<\/span> (<\/span>art space<\/span>)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/td>\nSklad butelek<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To report a violation (including confidentially) or to correct data presented in the report, please contact us at\u00a0dapamoha@penbelarus.org\u00a0or t.me\/viadoma. As of 15 September 2026, at least 127 cultural figures, including at least 22 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books reached 378. The head of the Pamia\u0107 Aj\u010dyny association,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":24055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4255],"tags":[4291,4285],"class_list":["post-24040","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-right","tag-chronicle","tag-hronika"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24040","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\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24040"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24040\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24057,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24040\/revisions\/24057"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24040"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24040"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24040"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}