{"id":22795,"date":"2026-06-04T19:47:48","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T19:47:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=22795"},"modified":"2026-06-08T13:31:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:31:14","slug":"hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-15-31-traunya-2026-goda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2026\/06\/04\/hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-15-31-traunya-2026-goda.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronicle of human rights violations in the sphere of culture (15-31 May 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To report a violation (including confidentially) or to correct data presented in the report, please contact us at dapamoha@penbelarus.org or t.me\/viadoma.<\/em><\/p>\n

As of 31 May 2026, at least 127 cultural figures, including at least 24 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books climbed to 357.<\/b><\/p>\n

A \u2018special proceeding\u2019 was initiated against singer, composer, and songwriter <\/span>Siarhiej Micha\u0142ok<\/b> in a politically motivated criminal case.<\/span><\/p>\n

A criminal case was initiated against public figure, writer, and former political prisoner <\/span>Pavie\u0142 Sieviaryniec<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Musician <\/span>Cimafiej Puha\u010do\u016d<\/b> from Homie\u013a was sentenced to three years in a penal colony in a politically motivated case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Alaksandr Barana\u016d<\/b>, founder of the cultural space <\/span>Dalina Anio\u0142a\u016d<\/span><\/i> in Mazyr, was arrested in a politically motivated criminal case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Singer <\/span>Alaksej Chlasto\u016d<\/b> was detained and sentenced to 14 days of administrative arrest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Repression against participants in the traditional <\/span>Hukannie Viasny<\/i><\/b> celebration continues in Homie\u013a.<\/span><\/p>\n

Searches were carried out at the registered addresses in Belarus of participants in <\/span>Freedom Day<\/b> celebrations held abroad.<\/span><\/p>\n

17 new books were added to the list of printed publications that \u201cmay harm the national interests of the Republic of Belarus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Facebook page <\/span>\u201cVesna Books \/ Vyda\u016dnictva Viasna,\u201d<\/b> as well as the website and social media accounts of the theatre <\/span>Kry\u0142y Cha\u0142opa<\/i><\/b>, were designated \u201cextremist materials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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I. Criminal prosecution of cultural figures, authors and performers<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> On 16 May, it became known that a \u2018special criminal proceeding\u2019 had been initiated against singer, composer, and songwriter <\/span>Siarhiej Micha\u0142ok<\/b>, who lives outside Belarus, in a politically motivated criminal case. Micha\u0142ok is accused under Article 130(1) of the Criminal Code (incitement of hatred) and Article 368(1) of the Criminal Code (insulting the president). The musician was instructed to return to Belarus and appear before the Minsk Directorate of the Investigative Committee.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>2.<\/strong> On 25 May, it became known that a criminal case had been opened against public figure, writer, and former political prisoner <\/span>Pavie\u0142 Sieviaryniec<\/b>. \u201cIt is connected with my participation in the Freedom Day celebrations,\u201d Sieviaryniec wrote on his Facebook page. Freedom Day marks the anniversary of the proclamation of the Belarusian People’s Republic (BNR) on 25 March 1918.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>3.<\/strong> On 26 May, it became known that musician <\/span>Cimafiej Puha\u010do\u016d<\/b> from Homie\u013a had been sentenced to three years in a penal colony in a politically motivated case. He was arrested on 12 August 2025. Puha\u010do\u016d was tried by the Homie\u013a Regional Court under Article 361-4(1) and (2) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity). The prosecution related to the case of Belaruski Hajun, a monitoring project that tracked the movement of Russian military equipment within Belarus. Puha\u010do\u016d played drums in various bands and worked for the Homie\u013a-based company SoundLand, which produces and sells professional audio equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>4.<\/strong> On 28 May, it became known that <\/span>Alaksandr Barana\u016d<\/b>, founder of the cultural space <\/span>Dalina Anio\u0142a\u016d<\/span><\/i> (Valley of Angels) in Mazyr, had been arrested in a politically motivated criminal case. He was detained on 5 January 2026 and placed in pre-trial detention in Homie\u013a, where he remains pending trial. Barana\u016d is accused under Article 361-4(1) of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity). The prosecution is linked to the Belaruski Hajun case. On 28 May, human rights defenders recognised Barana\u016d as a political prisoner. He previously chaired the historical and cultural association <\/span>Spad\u010dyna Paliessia<\/span><\/i> and established the <\/span>Dalina Anio\u0142a\u016d<\/span><\/i> cultural space on the site of a former Cistercian monastery in Mazyr.<\/span><\/p>\n

II. Detentions and administrative arrests of cultural figures<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> On 21 May, singer <\/span>Alaksej Chlasto\u016d<\/b> was detained in Minsk and sentenced to 14 days of administrative arrest under Article 19.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (petty hooliganism). A video recorded before his detention was later posted on his Instagram page, in which he stated that police officers had twice conducted \u201cpreventive conversations\u201d with him. Following the 2020 protests, Chlasto\u016d was blacklisted and banned from performing in Belarus; he subsequently worked as a taxi driver.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>2.<\/strong> On 21 May, it became known that repression against ethnography enthusiasts in Homie\u013a was continuing. Three more individuals were punished under administrative charges for participating in the traditional folk celebration <\/span>Hukannie Viasny<\/b> (\u201cCalling of Spring\u201d), accused of organising an \u201cunauthorised mass event\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

III. Repression related to Freedom Day celebrations abroad<\/b><\/h5>\n

On 21 May, a new wave of pressure targeted activists, human rights defenders, and cultural figures who had left Belarus due to political persecution and had participated in <\/span>Freedom Day<\/b> celebrations in Warsaw and Vilnius on 25 March. Searches were conducted at their registered addresses in Belarus.<\/span><\/p>\n

IV. Banned books<\/b><\/h5>\n

On 26 May 2026, the authorities added 17 new books to the list of printed publications that \u201cmay harm the national interests of the Republic of Belarus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Among them were internationally acclaimed works of literature, including:<\/span><\/p>\n