Latest news about jailed Viasna human rights defenders

We collected news on Viasna team members who are behind bars.

Ales Bialiatski became the winner of the Aliakhnovich Prize

On the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer, the Belarusian PEN and Radio Svaboda announced the winners and laureates of the Frantsishak Aliakhnovich Literary Prize for the best works written by imprisoned authors.

According to the organizers of the ceremony, this year the nominees or their relatives were offered anonymity for the sake of security and guaranteed confidentiality. For this reason, the names of some winners and laureates are hidden under pseudonyms, and the names of their works are not announced. The names will be published only when it becomes safe for the authors of the works.

Among others, the winner of the current literary prize named after Frantsishak Aliakhnovich for the best work written by an imprisoned author was also human rights activist Ales Bialiatski with his Memories of the Maksim Bahdanovich Museum.

38 months have passed since Marfa Rabkova was put behind bars

Coordinator of Viasna’s volunteer network Marfa Rabkova was detained on September 17, 2020. Later, the human rights defender was accused under a number of articles of the Criminal Code for the events of 2016–2020 and sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Following the appeal, Marfa's sentence was reduced by three months. The sentence came into force, and she was escorted to the Homieĺ colony.

An exhibition dedicated to the repressed leaders and activists of the Belarusian labor movement has opened at European Humanities University

It shows 52 posters in total, and 9 of them are representatives of the educational institution. 

On the posters, among others, one can see political prisoners, students and teachers, famous Belarusian figures: Nasta Loika, Tatsiana Kuzina, Mikola Dziadok, and Marfa Rabkova.

The grand opening of the exhibition Belarusian Martyrology took place in Vilnius. Among others, it showed a portrait of Marfa Rabkova

The exhibition of portraits of Belarusian political prisoners created by of Ksisha Aniolava Belarusian Martyrology opened on November 21 and ran until November 26. Among the drawings of Ksisha is a portrait of Marfa Rabkova, as well as a postcard made from her portrait:

Human Rights House Foundation network of Human Rights Houses supports imprisoned Belarusian human rights defenders

Photo: Human Rights House Foundation

At the meeting of the network of Human Rights Houses, human rights defenders showed solidarity with their imprisoned colleagues in Belarus.

Portraits of political prisoners from Viasna appeared at the annual Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum

Images of imprisoned human rights defenders from Viasna and others appeared at an exhibition dedicated to Belarusian and Azerbaijani political prisoners at the annual Assembly of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum 2023.

How else to support Viasna team?

1. Letters of solidarity are the strongest support from outside. You can send your letters via regular mail, as well as through electronic services:

• Maysternya Pashtovak Salidarnasci

• pismo.bel

You can also send telegrams at the post office or by phone number 166 (only from the landline) and dictate the text. Do not forget to leave your name in the text of the telegram.

2. An equally significant support is the dissemination of information. We urge you to tell your relatives, friends, colleagues, and directly on social media about the Viasna team and other political prisoners. Be sure to use the hashtag #FreeViasna. 

3. Sign the petition for the release of the Viasna team members and all political prisoners of Belarus!

4. Support Viasna on Patreon or with a one-time donation.

More news about Viasna team on the website freeviasna.org