{"id":8922,"date":"2021-10-18T09:38:37","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T09:38:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=8922"},"modified":"2024-06-12T13:41:47","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T13:41:47","slug":"bel-ru-manitoryng-parushennyau-kulturnyh-pravou-i-pravou-chalaveka-u-dachynenni-da-dzeyachau-kultury-studzen-verasen-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2021\/10\/18\/bel-ru-manitoryng-parushennyau-kulturnyh-pravou-i-pravou-chalaveka-u-dachynenni-da-dzeyachau-kultury-studzen-verasen-2021.html","title":{"rendered":"MONITORING OF VIOLATIONS OF CULTURAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS AGAINST CULTURAL WORKERS. JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>&#8220;<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main cultural news right now is: emmigration, the liquidation of cultural organizations, trials, and arrests. <\/span><\/i>&#8220;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: right;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/naviny.online\/article\/20210809\/1628490871-vyydet-iz-komy-v-novoy-belarusi-nacionalnuyu-kulturu-zhdet-ryvok-v\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Maksim \u017dbanko\u016d<\/a>, journalist and culture expert<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 PEN Belarus is systematically collecting information on the implementation of cultural rights and the observance of the rights of cultural workers. Since August 2020, we have been both witnesses and recorders of the extreme pressure exerted upon Belarusian civil society, and cultural workers in particular. This is a tragic time for freedom of expression, creative freedom, and freedom of opinion. The protracted socio-political crisis is characterised by the trampling of fundamental rights and freedoms, the persecution of dissent, censorship, a climate of fear, and the displacement of political activists from the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 This document contains statistics regarding these violations. It is based on open source information and communication with cultural workers between January and September 2021. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>GENERAL RESULTS<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Between January and September 2021:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8950 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd1_en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd1_en.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd1_en-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd1_en-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd1_en-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This quantity is greater than the instances recorded throughout all of 2020 (593). It is possible to state without doubt that the pressure and repression &#8211; escalated by the authorities in August 2020 &#8211; show no sign of relenting, and that they are taking new forms as well as encompassing a wider range of subjects in the Belarusian cultural sphere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rate of violations, from January 2020 to the present day:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8951 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd2_en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd2_en.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd2_en-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd2_en-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd2_en-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">POLITICAL PRISONERS<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of September 30, 2021, 715 individuals in Belarus have been recognized as political prisoners. 60 of these are cultural workers:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Paviel Sieviaryniec<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, writer and social-political activist: Sentenced to <\/span><b>7 years in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on May 25, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Maksim Znak<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,\u00a0 lawyer, poet, and lyricist: Sentenced to <\/span><b>10 years in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on September 6, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Philanthropist <\/span><b>Viktar Babaryka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Sentenced to <\/span><b>14 years in a strict regime penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on July 6, 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ihnat Sidor\u010dyk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and film director Ignat Sidorchik: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 3 years of detention in an open correctional facility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0(<em>This punishment is commonly known as \u201ckhimiya\u201d<\/em>) on February 16, 2021<\/span><b>.<\/b><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Miokola Dziadok<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, anarchist activist, <\/span><b>prison literature author<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><b>On remand <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since November 11, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Julija \u010carnia\u016dskaja<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, writer and cultural expert: Under <\/span><b>house arrest<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (forbidden from going outside or communicating with others except her lawyer) since May 20, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvalava)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, author and journalist: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 2 years in a standard regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on February 18, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Andrej Pa\u010dobut<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and member of the \u201cPolish Union in Belarus\u201d:<\/span><b> On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since March 27, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Andrej Alaksandra\u016d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet, journalist, and media manager: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since January 12, 2021.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Maryja Kale\u015bnikava<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musician and cultural project manager: Sentenced to <\/span><b>11 years in penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on September 6, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ihar Bancar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musician: Sentenced to <\/span><b>1.5 years in an open correctional facility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on March 19, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Aleksey Sanchuk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, drummer: Sentenced to <\/span><b>6 years in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on May 13, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Anatol Khinevich<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and singer: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 2.5 years in a penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on December 24, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Alaksandr Vasilevi\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cultural project manager and businessman: On remand since August 28, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Eduard Babaryka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cultural manager: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since June 18, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ivan Kaniavieha<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, concert agency director: Sentenced to <\/span><b>3 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on February 4, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Mia Mitkevich<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cultural manager: Sentenced to <\/span><b>3 years in a penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on May 20, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Liavon Khalatran<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cultural manager: Sentenced to <\/span><b>2 years in an open correctional facility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on February 19, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>And\u017celika Borys<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, chair of \u201cPolish Union of Belarus\u201d: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since March 30, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ales Pushkin<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artist: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since March 30, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Siarhei Volkau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, actor: Sentenced to <\/span><b>4 years in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on July 6, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Danila Hancharou<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,, lighting designer: Sentenced to <\/span><b>2 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on July 9, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Aliaksandr Nurdzinau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artist: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 4 years in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on February 5, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Uladzislau Makavetski<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artist: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 2 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on December 16, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Artsiom Takarchuk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, architect: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 3.5 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on November 20, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Rastsislau Stefanovich<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, designer and architect: Sentenced to <\/span><b>8 years in a strict regime penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on July 19, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Maksim Taccianok<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, designer: Sentenced to <\/span><b>3 years in an open correctional facility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on February 26, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Pavel Spiryn<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, documentary film author and blogger: Sentenced to <\/span><b>4.5 years in a penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on February 5, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Dzmitry Kubarau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, UX-UI-Designer: Sentenced to <\/span><b>7 years in a strict regime penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on March 24, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ksenia Syramalot<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and publicist, philosophy and social sciences student at Belarus State University: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 2.5 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on July 16, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Yana Arabeika <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><b> Kasia Budzko<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, aesthetic education faculty students at Belarus State Pedagogical University: Sentenced to <\/span><b>2.5 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on July 16, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Maryia Kalenik<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, exhibition design student at the Academy of Arts: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 2.5 years in a penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on July 16, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Viktoryia Hrankouskaya<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, former architecture student from Belarus National Technical University: Sentenced to <\/span><b>2.5 years in a\u00a0 penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on July 16, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ihar Yarmolau<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><b>Mikalai Saseu<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, dancers: Sentenced to 5 years in a strict regime penal colony on June 10, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Anastasiya Mirontsava<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, academy of Arts student: Sentenced to <\/span><b>2 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on April 11, 2021 in her final year.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Sviatlana Kuprejeva <\/b>(<b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em>As of October 12, 2021, Sviatlana Kuprejeva was released on October 11, 2021. She spent 16 months in detention<\/em>)<\/span><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet, coordinator of Viktor Babariko\u2019s team:<\/span><b> On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since June 11, 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ale\u015b Bialacki<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, literary critic, researcher of Belarusian literary history, essayist, and rights defender:<\/span><b> On remand <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since July 14, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Andrej Skurko<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, writer, musician, and author of the magazine \u201cNasha Istoria (Our History)\u201d: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since July 8, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Paviel Lar\u010dyk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musician: Sentenced to <\/span><b>3 years in a penal colony <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on July 9, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ivan Viarbicki<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artist, animator: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 8 years and 1 month in a strict regime penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on March 15, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Uladzimir Mackievi\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, philosopher and methodologist: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since August 4, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Uladzimir Kala\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> Nadzieja Kala\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> Piotr Mar\u010danka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> Julija Mar\u010danka (Junickaja)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">,<\/span><b> Anton \u0160nip i D\u017amitry \u0160ymanski<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musicians: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since August 2, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Andrej Pietrovskij<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, history and social studies teacher: Sentenced to <\/span><b>1.5 years in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on August 25, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ksienija Luckina<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, historian, documentary film director, and journalist: <\/span><b>On remand <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since August 25, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ale\u015b Mina\u016d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, writer, Belarusian language, and literature teacher: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since August 25, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Mikola Papieka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet: Sentenced to\u00a0 <\/span><b>2 years in an open correctional facility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on June\u00a0 08, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Alaksandr Bahdana\u016d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, cultural manager, musician: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since September 2, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Maksim Kruk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, artist, scenographer: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since September 2, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Artur Amira\u016d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Musician, DJ:<\/span><b> Sentenced to<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> 3.5 years in a strict regime penal colony on August 20, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>D\u017amitry Padrez<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, street artist:<\/span><b> On remand <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">since July 15, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ja\u016dhien Piatro\u016d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musician: Sentenced to<\/span><b> 1 year in a penal colony<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on September 11, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Valeryja Ka\u015bciuhova<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, author and editor, political scientist and analyst: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since June 30, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><b>Ja\u016dhien Kra\u010dko\u016dski<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, author of the project \u201cAdveku (From time immemorial)\u201d: <\/span><b>On remand<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> since September 8, 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The authorities also brought criminal proceedings against: <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Volha Ka\u0142ackaja<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, translator: Sentenced to 2 years\u2019 detention without being sent to an open correctional facility<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on March 24, 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Uladzimir Hundar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, local history expertand activist: Sentenced to 3 years in a penal colony on May 20, 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Hanna Va\u017enik<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and musician: Sentenced to 1 year\u2019s detention without being sent to an open correctional facility on June 28, 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Julija Laptovi\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, librarian: Sentenced to 3 years of detention without being sent to an open correctional facility on August 4, 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Ta\u0107ciana Minina<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, designer: Sentenced to 4 years of detention without being sent to an open correctional facility on August 12, 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b style=\"text-align: justify;\">Ihar Alinievi\u010d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, publicist, anarchist activist: On remand since October 29, 2020.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8952 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en.png 1920w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd3_en-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From January to September 2021, the authorities launched criminal proceedings against 42 cultural workers and delivered the following sentences:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8953 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en.png 1920w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd4_en-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From the middle of June, the following cultural workers sentenced to open correctional facilities began their sentences: Musician <\/span><b>Ihar Bancar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet and film director <\/span><b>Ihnat Sidor\u010dyk<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, designer <\/span><b>Maksim Taccianok<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, culture manager <\/span><b>Liavon Khalatran<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, poet <\/span><b>Mikola Papieka<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, musician <\/span><b>Maksim \u0160a\u016dlinski<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (released in an amnesty in September), cultural manager <strong>Cimur Haziza\u016d<\/strong>, sentenced on September 20 to 2 years of detention in an open correctional facility but now free pending appeal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>DETENTION CONDITIONS <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We continue to receive reports of draconian detention conditions that include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Separate wake-ups and night inspections<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The absence of mattresses<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overcrowded cells<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A light that can burn for days<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A radio that never stops playing<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Insults from the guards<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A ban on the reception of parcels\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The absence &#8211; or delayed provision &#8211; of medical assistance<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A ban on hospital admissions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A ban on taking necessary medication\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A ban on meetings with relatives\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A ban on doing sport (in the cell or in the breaks during work in the penal colony)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conditions enabling infection by coronovarius\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Placement in an isolation cell\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The registration of inmates as \u201cprone to extremism and other destructive behaviour\u201d that means even harsher treatment: more regular cell inspections, handcuffs during all movement, and other conditions which are regularly characterised by those who were held there as a \u201ctorture chamber\u201d and \u201cbestial\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, we have recorded 80 reports of the harsh and humiliating detention conditions of cultural workers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>ACCESS TO BOOKS <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The access to books in detention locations merits its own analysis. We are currently recording the difficulties and insurmountable obstacles that detained individuals face in receiving books: Educational, fictional, and journalistic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know, for example, that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Viktar Babaryka does not have access to the prison library: His lawyer &#8211; Natalla Mackievi\u010d &#8211; reported this on social media.\u00a0 In prison colony No. 1, Navapolack, the penal colony where he is held, there is a library and inmates have the right to subscribe. However, his detention conditions are such that he does not have the opportunity to do so.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alaksiej Mahilo\u016dca\u016d &#8211; held in prison colony No. 13, Hlybokaje, &#8211; wrote that since last year it has only been possible to receive books through the prison administration &#8211; not from relatives.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mikita Jemialjana\u016d is held in penal colony No. 4, Mahilio\u016d, a strict regime location. He decided to buy books in a retail network as permitted in the Criminal Code. Despite being law, in practice this process is almost impossible. Only after 3 months of correspondence did the Mahilio\u016d \u2018book seller\u2019 send Mikita\u2019s order to him.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the Homyel penal colony, Safija Ma\u0142a\u0161evi\u010d was not allowed to receive French language textbooks.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eduard Babaryka &#8211;\u00a0 held on remand by the state security committee in Minsk &#8211; wrote in a letter that: \u201cIt was once again not possible to buy a book\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maryja Kale\u015bnikava reported that: \u201c<i>In \u017dodzina, I had no books. The prison administration explained that the problem was that they feared that the books I received would contain some information &#8211; just as was the case with Lenin and information \u2018written with milk\u2019 (in invisible ink.)\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><strong>MASS LIQUIDATION OF NON-PROFIT CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The third quarter of 2021 is characterised by unprecedented pressure on civil society organizations: Inspections, seizing of accounts, warnings, liquidation with and without court decision. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the past year, officials have repeatedly made threats against civil society. On April 10, the Minister of Foreign Affairs responded to international sanctions as follows: \u201cAny further escalation of sanctions will lead to the destruction of civil society that they [the West] care so much about. And, in my opinion, this destruction would be absolutely justified given the circumstances <em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.belta.by\/politics\/view\/makej-o-prizyvah-psevdopatriotov-k-sanktsijam-oni-sovershajut-prestuplenie-protiv-svoego-naroda-436657-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Makiej on calls for sanctions<\/a>).<\/span><\/em>\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0Between July 14-17, the authorities conducted multiple raids on civil society organizations, parties, rights defenders, and independent experts.\u00a0 On July 22 &#8211; the day before the mass liquidation of non-profit organizations &#8211; at a meeting with the leadership of the Council of Ministers, Alyaksandar Lukashenka stated that in Belarus \u201cf<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or such a small country, there are almost two thousand non-governmental and non-profit organizations, gangsters and foreign agents. So what? They got their democracy? Now they look around and see that all this is harming the government! A &#8220;clean-up&#8221; is going on. You think that&#8217;s easy? Thousands of people, our people, are already working there, and most of them are crazy, brainwashed with someone else&#8217;s money <span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.belta.by\/president\/view\/ot-jadernoj-bezopasnosti-do-naraschivanija-eksporta-lukashenko-sobral-soveschanie-s-rukovodstvom-451617-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Lukashenka at a meeting with the Council of Ministers<\/a>)<\/em><\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On July 30, at a meeting with active local pro-regime officials, Lukashenka said,\u201cAs a result of the recent measures, we have identified 185 destructive organizations that represent a potential national security threat, including the representatives of foreign non-profit organizations, 71 republican and local associations, 113 institutions <span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><em>(<a href=\"https:\/\/www.belta.by\/president\/view\/lukashenko-nko-pod-vidom-blagotvoritelnosti-otrabatyvajut-chuzhoj-politicheskij-zakaz-452930-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Lukashenka at a meeting with active local pro-regime officials<\/a>)<\/em><\/span>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of September 30, 2021, the authorities are in the process of liquidating 246 civil society organizations <em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">(<a href=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/spreadsheets\/d\/1qHDjDaoq1Fz9TnVsbTIh-sFbWP_4U1faraytI8AuKXM\/edit#gid=0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">Liquidation and suspension of civil society organizations activity in 2021<\/a>)<\/span><\/em>.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Among these: rights defenders, journalists, educators, philanthropists, environmentalists, and others. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u201cofficial response\u201d to the international sanctions has also affected the cultural sphere. We have noticed a significant growth in violations regarding organizations and associations in the third quarter of 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8954 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd5_en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd5_en.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd5_en-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd5_en-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd5_en-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The increase in violations is a result of the \u201cwar\u201d which the authorities launched on civil society in response to the 2020 protests and European sanctions. The pressure on the non-profit sector began in the autumn of 2020 and, at first, targeted primarily rights defending organizations: the launching of criminal cases, \u201csearches\u201d of funding sources, raids on offices and organization employees.The mass, unplanned\u00a0 inspections by the Ministry of Justice began in May 2021.\u00a0 In June, we recorded the first instances of violations targeting cultural organizations. The first inspections affected PEN Belarus, the Belarusian committee of the International Council on Monuments and Historical Locations, the International Belarusian Association \u201cFatherland\u201d, the Union of Belarusian Writers, and others.\u00a0 The authorities demanded an unprecedented quantity of information and documents. After this, the Ministry of Justice unjustly liquidated the organizations through the courts. We have not seen one instance in which the courts have defended the interests of non-profit organizations. The courts unquestioningly met the demands for liquidation issued by the Ministry of Justice and regional justice departments. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We recorded the first liquidation of non-profit cultural organizations in April 2021. On April 19, the economic court of Brest Oblast ruled to liquidate the civil society organization \u201c<\/span><b>Polish School<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d against the backdrop of the campaign against the Polish minority and anti-Polish propaganda. The court stated that it made the decision \u201cin defense of the interests of State and Society\u201d. In May, the authorities liquidated the Hrodna-based organization <\/span><b>\u201cCenter of City Life\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with the justification that an Alyes Pushkin exhibition contained a painting violating anti-extremism laws. In June, we recorded the liquidation of the Brest-based organizations <\/span><b>\u201cWings of the Serf Theatre\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the cultural-educational organization <\/span><b>\u201cSoil of the Future\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. On June 30, the authorities demanded that the Goethe Institute and the German Academic Exchange Service (<\/span><b>DAAD<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) &#8211; the world\u2019s premier German language and culture organizations &#8211; cease their activities in Belarus. On July 1, the authorities liquidated the Brest-based regional development agency \u201c<\/span><b>Dzedzich<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d, which holds cultural festivals and events.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has become clear that the courts do not need a reason to liquidate organizations. In some cases, the process is protracted because a trial is required. In others, the authorities simply inform organizations of their liquidation post factum.\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On August 9, the Supreme Court liquidated <\/span><b>PEN Belarus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; a civic organization created by eminent writers in 1989 and a member of PEN International. On August 25, 2021, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the authorities informed the leader of the &#8220;Center of the Visual and Applied Arts, <\/span><b>ART Corporation<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; about the liquidation process only after they had made the decision.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of September 30, 2021, the authorities have liquidated at least <\/span><b>77 non-profit organizations<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We see the mass liquidation manifested in the creation of administrative obstacles to the organization\u2019s activities that impede the development of the country\u2019s cultural sphere.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8955 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en.png 1920w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd6_en-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On October 1, the authorities liquidated Belarus\u2019s most established creative organization \u201c<\/span><b>The Union of Belarusian Writers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d &#8211; an organization created in 1934. In July, the organization received two warnings from the Ministry of Justice. On July 14, the authorities raided and confiscated technology and documents from the premises. The authorities created conditions (delay in notification letters, and blocking access to the office and documents, short deadline for submitting the requested information) such that the Union was physically unable to provide the information demanded by the Ministry of Justice. The court ruled that this was the organization\u2019s problem. Many present in the room believe that the verdict read out by the Prosecutor had been prepared in advance. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>THE STRUCTURE OF CULTURAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS TARGETING CULTURAL WORKERS <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-8956 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd7_en.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" \/ loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd7_en.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd7_en-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd7_en-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/slajd7_en-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Persecution for dissent occupies first place in the \u201crating\u201d of violations. The authorities have been exerting all forms of pressure upon cultural actors who express opinions different from those broadcast by state organs, from dismissal to detention and criminal proceedings. In the first 9 months of 2021, we recorded:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">200 arbitrary detentions.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">94 searches (111, if organization searches are counted)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">69 criminal proceedings.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">75 confiscations of property.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">64 dismissals, non-extensions of contract.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">62 instances of forced emmigration.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Calls to interrogation, censorship, deportation, expulsion from educational institutions, special examinations when crossing the border, freezing of assets, \u201cpreventative\u201d discussions withthe Ministry of Internal Affairs, the State Security Committee, and others. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><b><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\">OPPRESSIVE TRENDS<\/span> <\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The characteristics of life in the current climate of persecution and repression are as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><b>Self-censorship<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cGroup participants decided not to publish songs because they feared persecution by the authorities\u201d, \u201cthe performance showcase was closed to the public\u201d, the editor \u201cconducts internal censorship regarding \u2018extremism\u2019 on all books that the organization plans to publish\u201d, \u201cindividuals declined to participate in the festival due to security concerns\u201d, \u201cthose remaining in the country should not share protest songs.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><b>Transfer of <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBelarusian <\/span><b>cultural products<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d <\/span><b>abroad<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: \u201cWe do not plan to hold the premiere in Belarus, \u201cUnfortunately, we do not plan to hold screenings in Belarus\u201d, \u201cThe Belarusian writer Viktar Marcinovi\u010d\u2019s play \u2018Revolution\u2019 will be staged in Germany\u201d, \u201cThe premier of the play based on Sa\u0161a Filipienka\u2019s novel \u2018The Former Son\u2019 took place in Kyiv\u201d, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; In addition to those who have<\/span><b> left the country <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">for personal security, cultural workers have also left the country for personal and <\/span><b>professional actualization<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span>In Vilnius, Hrodna Theater <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">actors who lost their jobs staged a performance; Paviel Char\u0142an\u010duk left Belarus to join the Moscow-based Gubernsky Theater of Sergei Bezrukov.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; De facto<\/span><b> ban on cultural professions<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Belarus: It is practically impossible for cultural workers, particularly those dismissed from state institutions, to carry out the activities necessary for their profession.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; We are aware of another layer of <\/span><b>repression <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that <\/span><b>remains in the shadows<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Cultural workers, especially those living in the regions, remain alone in facing pressure and repression without speaking of it so that they continue to work in the country, even if in a different organization than the one from which they were dismissed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Fear of revealing one\u2019s identity: Many, for example, fear revealing their Polish ethnicity because of the ensuing <\/span><b>stigmatization <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">bolstered by the government\u2019s<\/span><b> anti-Polish policy.<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>BAN ON CULTURAL PROFESSIONS<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The \u201cban on cultural professions\u201d requires separate consideration. The phenomenon of \u201cblack lists\u201d &#8211; containing musicians, writers, and other cultural workers who are practically forbidden from the free distribution of their creative products &#8211; returned to Belarus in full force in 2021. Refusal to issue touring licenses to musicians, the prohibition of autograph sessions in state bookstores for authors are among the existing forms of restrictions. Whether any of the individuals have actually seen their names on these lists remains unknown. On August 5, a pro-regime Telegram channel published a list of \u201cundesirable\u201d individuals. The majority of these &#8211; over 320 &#8211; were former employees of state institutions who resigned amidst the presidential elections: journalists, editors, photo correspondents, performers, actors, presenters, sportspeople, etc. 43 names were those of creative workers who had not worked for state institutions: musicians, producers, cultural managers, directors, musical collectives, etc. At least 150 of the people listed had connections to the cultural sphere.\u00a0 It appears that the list first arose in November 2020 but that names have constantly been added. The main message accompanying the spread of this \u201cdocument\u201d contains the message that the individuals named are \u201ctraitors\u201d with whom it is \u201cinappropriate to enter into working relations\u201d. There are reports that Belarusian recruitment agencies have received letters \u201crecommending\u201d not to hire the listed individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMMENTS OR \u201cSILENCE, EVERYONE!\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice of holding individuals administratively or criminally responsible for social media commentary has escalated throughout 2021. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The practice is widespread and systematic, and thus requires a detailed investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On September 28, 2021, an IT specialist and an employee of the State Security Committee tragically passed away. Detentions of those who expressed opinions on this topic on social media occurred across the country. One week later on October 6, the authorities reported that 200 commenters had been identified, and that 136 had been detained or arrested on suspicion of \u201cinciting social enmity and discord\u201d and \u201cinsulting public officials and their relatives\u201d &#8211; articles 130 and 369 of the Criminal Code. These detentions have taken place against the backdrop of the public appeal &#8211; made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs &#8211; to \u201cconcerned\u201d citizens to send information and witness statements in order to help \u201cidentify the \u201cscoundrels\u201d\u201d and \u201cjointly punish them to the fullest extent possible.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>TRENDS THAT REQUIRE FURTHER STUDY <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>\u201cLanguage of the enemy\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout 2021, we have observed the practice of intimidation from state officials and media. We suggest that further attention should be paid to this topic. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #800000;\"><b>The culture of memory and the \u201cdistortion of history\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alongside the defamation of individuals and organizations, there has been a mass campaign to <\/span><b>distort history<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: the discreditation of \u201cundesirable\u201d historians and symbols, as well as the\u00a0 falsification of historical facts and events. In 2021, we have seen the <\/span><b>dismissal <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of <\/span><b>historians <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">who are not loyal to the regime from the Polack, Mahilio\u016d, and Belarusian State universities. In August, a court sentenced a history teacher from Smorgon who explained the red and white flag to 11th grade students to 1.5 years in a penal colony. Books<\/span><b> on military history<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> published by \u201cHarvest\u201d (in particular, \u201cMilitary History of Belarus: Heroes, Symbols, Lights\u201d and \u201cBelarusian Military Symbols: Banners and Uniforms&#8221; by Viktor Lyakhor) have been removed from libraries. Meanwhile, books of \u201csocial significance\u201d in line <\/span><b>with state ideology<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (for example, those containing the concept of \u2018Polonization\u2019 in Western Belarus and the role of Poland as an occupier) have been provided. New 11th grade history books (which authorities failed to deliver in time for the beginning of the school year) have been rewritten with the aim of discrediting the red and white symbolism as well as the \u201cLong Live Belarus!\u201d slogan in the eyes of senior students. The new textbook claims that this slogan is similar to the \u201cHeil Hitler&#8221; greeting.\u00a0 The authorities are also implementing a campaign against Western cultural policy. In April 2021, the Prosecutor General opened a criminal case regarding the supposed genocide of Belarusians during the Second World War according to Homyel historian and fine arts studies candidate Ja\u016dhien Malika\u016d [Evgeny Malikov]. These accusations against an abstract concept of \u2018the West\u2019 are ideological constructions designed to distract attention from the crimes committed by the State since August 2020 (<em>The resource was recognized as extremist on June 8, 2021 and cannot be displayed<\/em>).\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>NEW FACTS AND LOSSES IN THE CULTURAL SPHERE<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u21d2\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The following cultural products have been deemed \u2018extremist\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBelarusian Donbas\u201d by Kaciaryna Andrejeva (Bachvalava) and Ihar Ilja\u0161.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Belarusian National idea\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The clip of the song \u201cBaju-Bye\u201d.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u21d2\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Works by the following authors have been excluded from the 11th grade literature syllabus:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sviatlana Aleksijevi\u010d.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vladimir Nabokov.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Previously, the works of Solzhenitsyn and Nabokov fell under the \u201cdissident literature\u201d category. In the category \u201cProse: Man and War\u201d, Aleksijevi\u010d\u2019s works have been replaced by those of the pro-regime author Mikalaj \u010carhiniec.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u21d2\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the end of 2021, the authorities plan to decrease the number of cultural workers by 20%<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<em><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">(<a href=\"https:\/\/belmarket.by\/news\/2021\/04\/16\/news-45278.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noindex noopener\">National Anti-Crisis Management: it is planned to lay off every fifth cultural worker by the end of the year<\/a>)<\/span><\/em> (there are currently 65.5 thousand people in the sector). The Ministry of Culture says that this move represents the \u201coptimization of the number of cultural organizations and the reduction of staff.\u201d In September, the Belarusian State University for Culture and the Arts liquidated (restructured) the Ethnology and Folklore faculty, which had existed for 20 years.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><b>WE ARE CONTINUING TO RECORD:<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2b9a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Discrimiantion against the Belarusian language<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2b9a<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The discreditation of cultural workers by state media.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2b9a The launching of administrative and criminal cases against those who use national symbols (the red and white flag, the \u2018Pahonia \u00a0[Pursuit]\u2019 coat of arms) and who come up with creative variations of these historically symbolic colours. We alone have recorded more than 450 instances of this in 2021 across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2b9a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The launching of administrative and criminal cases against those who participate in protest and solidarity actions. <\/span><\/p>\n\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Monitoring of violations of cultural and human rights against cultural workers in Belarus. January-September 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":8949,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4255,1],"tags":[4292,4277,4256,4281,4308],"class_list":["post-8922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-right","category-news","tag-penanalytics","tag-kulturnye-prava","tag-kulturnyya-pravy","tag-parushenne-pravou-chalaveka","tag-narushenie-prav-cheloveka"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8922","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=8922"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8922\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11188,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8922\/revisions\/11188"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8949"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}