Born on January 18, 1955, in Sverdlovsk.
Graduated from the Belarusian State Academy of Arts with a major in theater studies, worked at the Young Spectator’s Theatre, at the National Art Museum, taught at the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, developed the program of the new educational course History and Theory of the Culture of Belarus, translated works of the Belarusian Baroque from the Old Polish language, led the section of book and computer reviews in Nasha Niva.
His texts were published in such magazines as Spadchyna, Arche, pARTisan, for some time he edited the electronic archive site Vytoki. Acted as an activist of the Experts for the Protection of Kurapaty initiative, he also initiated the creation of the Book of Honor of Kurapaty in memory of the victims of repression. He edited the bulletin of the Union of Workers in the Radio-Electronic Industry (REP).
Vacłaŭ Areška has been arrested on April 19, 2022.
On November 25, 2022, the trial of REP trade union leaders, including him, began in the Minsk City Court behind closed doors.
The defendants were accused on the basis of part 1 of Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code (participation in extremist formation); part 3 of Art. 361 of the Criminal Code (incitement for actions aimed at harming the national security of Belarus); part 3 of Art. 130 of the Criminal Code (inciting social enmity); part 1, Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code (participation in an extremist formation); part 3 of Art. 361.1 of the Criminal Code (creation of an extremist formation and participation in it).
On April 3, 2023, the judicial panel of the Supreme Court reviewed Areška’s appeal and rejected it.
In May 2023, it became known that Vacłaŭ Areška was transferred to PC No. 17.
On May 5, 2023, he has been added to the list of “extremists”.
Mail address: Vacłaŭ Areška, PC No. 17, 213004, Škloŭ, vulica 1-ja Zavodskaja 8