{"id":4696,"date":"2020-12-15T13:39:25","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T13:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=4696"},"modified":"2021-08-04T12:08:21","modified_gmt":"2021-08-04T12:08:21","slug":"perazhycz-skladanyya-chasy-i-verycz-u-lepshae-10-vypusk-dajdzhesta-pra-kulturu-va-umovah-gramadska-palitychnaga-kryzisu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2020\/12\/15\/perazhycz-skladanyya-chasy-i-verycz-u-lepshae-10-vypusk-dajdzhesta-pra-kulturu-va-umovah-gramadska-palitychnaga-kryzisu.html","title":{"rendered":"To Survive Tough Times with the Belief in the Better \u2013 Issue 10 of Our Weekly Digest about Belarusian Culture in Times of Social and Political Crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arrests<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Aliaksej Saprykin<\/b>, an actor of Belarus Free Theatre, activist, partner of the Belarusian PEN Center (for two years in a raw he was the host at the ceremonies of Karlas \u0160erman Award for the best literary book translation into Belarusian), arrested on Sunday, December 6, was sentenced to 15 days of administrative arrest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Mikita Samaryn<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mikita Samaryn<\/b> from Hrodna is accused of violating Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (violence or threat of violence against a police officer). He was detained on October 6 for using pepper spray on those who were forcibly detaining people on August 25. Mikita was severely beaten and maimed, his long hair was cut off with a knife, and gas was sprayed in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 11, the court sentenced Mikita to four years without being sent to prison and 500 rubles in compensation to be paid to the \u201ccasualty\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mikita used to repair old cars, he is a member of the club of reconstructors of retro cars “Vintage”. More than once he participated in photo shoots (like this photo) and city festivals.<\/span><\/p>\n

Uladzisla\u016d Makaviecki<\/b>, a Viciebsk-based artist who has been in custody since November 26, faces up to six years in prison on charges of violence against police officers (Article 364 of the Criminal Code).\u00a0<\/span>According to the indictment, on September 6, during a clash between the protesters and police on Pravda Street, Makaviecki threatened a police officer with the truncheon he had lifted from the ground, and allegedly made oral threats. He himself pleaded not guilty.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Natalia Hier\u0161e<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

Natalia Hier\u0161e, a Belarusian who has lived in Switzerland for the past 12 years and flew to Belarus in the fall to see for herself what was happening there, took a balaclava off a riot policeman during the women’s march on September 19 in Minsk and was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. Natalia is also an artist, she had an exhibition in Switzerland, and, hopefully, portraits she painted will be exhibited in Belarus as well. See the link for the details of Natallia’s case<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n

Paval Chadzinski<\/b>, a photographer with an active civil position<\/a>, was sentenced to 10 days in jail on December 9 for a photo on Instagram<\/span>. The case on the second photo was sent for revision.<\/span><\/p>\n

Detained on Sunday, December 13:<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

Aliaksej Kry\u0161tal<\/b>, <\/span>jazz bassist who played at gigs in the neighbourhoods together with Pavel Arakilalian, received 12 days of administrative arrest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Kacia Chekato\u016dskaja, <\/b>playwright, actress. She was previously detained once and was fined. <\/span>On December 14 Kacia was sentenced to 17 days of administrative arrest.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Lera Lazuk (Tur\u010dynava), <\/b>artist<\/span><\/p>\n

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Pressure and Dismissal <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Modern Arts Theater<\/b>, an independent theatre group which went on strike protesting against the events in the country, can\u2019t show performances because they aren\u2019t issued a certificate allowing them to work legally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Siarchiej Klima\u016d<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n

Siarchiej Klima\u016d, <\/b>the director of Niasvi\u017e Castle due to whom the castle rose from abandoned to one of the top visited tourist sites in Belarus, was fired without any explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n

Two Minskers, <\/span>Andrej Maroza\u016d<\/b> and <\/span>Viktoryja Lia\u0161\u010dynskaja<\/b>, were detained from their own apartments for flags in the windows and sentenced to 13 days in prison on December 7, the flags to be destroyed. In Minsk, more than 20 reports have been drawn up for “white-red-white” flags in the windows and on the balconies, these cases have been sent to court, as flags on windows are considered mass events, picketing, and are punishable under Article 23.34 (\u201cviolation of the organisation or holding of mass events\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

Police came to <\/span>Aliaksej Barysa\u016d<\/b>, a resident of Mahile\u016d, because of the flag on his balcony and confiscated not only the flag, but also all the things with white-red-white symbols, as well as all his equipment: a laptop, computer, and phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Now the police check up on the apartments with white-red-white garlands in their windows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Kastu\u015b Lisecki<\/b>, the technical editor of the <\/span>Rodnaje S\u0142ova<\/span><\/i> magazine and bass guitarist of the Recha band, had police visiting his apartment because of a photo of a white-red-white flag in his window, although the flag itself had not been there for a long time. Kastu\u015b was given an ultimatum: either he signs that he agrees with the protocol and he is given a summons to court, or he is detained and held accountable for disobedience. He had to agree, otherwise the children would have stayed home alone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Iryna Suchij<\/b>, leader of the environmental movement, photographer, participant of the project \u201cBelarusian Climate\u201d, received a written notification from public utilities officers demanding to remove white-red-white symbols from her windows otherwise she would have to face charges. However, there are no symbols on Iryna’s windows and balcony – it is likely that the workers made a mistake detecting an apartment during their visual inspection of the building.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Cultural Resistance <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Andrej Pakro\u016dski<\/b>, an artist, dedicated his new work<\/a> to detained poet, translator and musician <\/span>Ulad\u017a Liankevi\u010d<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

New art by<\/span> Ania Rad\u017ako <\/b><\/a>co-authored wit<\/span>h Julia Lia\u0161kevi\u010d.<\/b><\/p>\n

Vika Bachdanovi\u010d,<\/b> an artist who was detained on September 26 and sentenced to 14 days in jail, made sketches about life behind the bars in Baranavi\u010dy. Pictures and the stories related to them are in the material of an online magazine citydog.by<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alena Kadanava, <\/b>a Belarusian living in Pozna\u0144, recorded a song “I’m out” dedicated to the murder of Raman Bandarenka, based on a poem by Belarusian poet <\/a><\/span>Tania Sveta\u0161ova<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n