Printing house “Karandash” refuses to print map of the Uskhodniya cemetery, alleging that Radio “Liberty” is extremist
Alena Rybak, the administrator of pavillion No. 2 of the printing house "Karandash"
On the eve of the Ancestor's Commemoration Day, Radio “Liberty” prepared a map of the Uskhodniya cemetery, “Belarusian Necropolis”, indicating 50 graves of prominent Belarusians who dedicated their lives to the Belarusian culture, language and statehood. However, the printing house “Karandash” in Minsk considered its anti-state propaganda and refused to accept the order for its printing.
The map was to have been produced by the branch of the printing house “Karandash” located in Nezalezhnasts Square in Minsk. There were no problems at the stage of the preparation to the pre-press: samples of the map were produced and a contract was drawn up. However, today the administrator of the printing house, Alena Rybak, stated that she considered the map as a propaganda material, and Radio “Liberty”, whose website is indicated on the map, as anti-state, as a result of which the printing house refused to print the map. She said that she had just visited the website of RFE/RL and saw some caricatures of KGB officers.
She explained her decision with an internal instruction of “Karandash”:
“We don't print any pornographic, extremist, Nazi, anti-state or promotional materials containing elements of electoral or referendum campaigning, as well as those that can be used during political events and campaigns”.
“Belarusian National Necropolis” is a project by RFE/RL aimed at extending the knowledge about the deceased Belarusian cultural and public activists and their commemoration. Within its frames the radio intends to publish maps of Minsk cemeteries with indication of their graves. All maps will be accessible via Internet.
Below is the map of the Uskhodniya cemetery which “Karandash” refused to print:
