Vasil Bykaw Died

On 22 June the people’s writer of Belarus Vasil Bykaw died in the resuscitation department of the oncological hospital in Barawliany, near Minsk. He was the honor of our nation, the living classic of the world literature. Since the middle of 1990-ies Vasil Bykaw was haunted by the State mass media, because he wanted to see his country independent. The state printing houses refused to print his books. The latest years V. Bykaw had to spend abroad: at first he lived in Finland and Germany on invitation of the international pen-center, then moved to Czech. In spring he survived a surgical operation for removing of stomach mass.

V. Bykaw celebrated his 79th birthday, 19 June 2003, in his native country. He was going through rehabilitation course at one of Minsk clinics and met only with a limited circle of friends.

Information Department of PA HRC “Viasna”