{"id":23110,"date":"2026-07-01T08:52:08","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T08:52:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/?p=23110"},"modified":"2026-07-02T10:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-02T10:17:17","slug":"hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-15-30-chervenya-2026-goda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/2026\/07\/01\/hronika-parushennyau-pravou-chalaveka-u-sfery-kultury-15-30-chervenya-2026-goda.html","title":{"rendered":"Chronicle of human rights violations in the sphere of culture (15-30 June 2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"

To report a violation (including confidentially) or to correct data presented in the report, please contact us at\u00a0dapamoha@penbelarus.org\u00a0or t.me\/viadoma.<\/em><\/p>\n

As of 30 June 2026, at least 123 cultural figures, including at least 25 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books remained at 357.<\/b><\/p>\n

Political prisoner, musician <\/span>Jahor Ciu\u0161kievi\u010d<\/b> faced a new trial.<\/span><\/p>\n

Participants in a music rave near Sto\u016dbcy<\/span> were detained.<\/span><\/p>\n

The summer house of journalist and writer <\/span>U\u0142adzimir Chilmanovi\u010d<\/b> was sold at auction.<\/span><\/p>\n

Authorities sealed off <\/span>the house of publisher<\/span> Ihar \u0141ohvina\u016d<\/b> in the village of Kaptaruny, Pastavy District.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Information added the Instagram account of the publishing house <\/span>Po\u0142ackija \u0141abirynty<\/b> to the list of \u201cextremist materials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Facebook page of writer <\/span>Juhasia Kalada<\/b> was added to the list of \u201cextremist materials.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The Ministry of Internal Affairs designated the satirical project <\/span>ChinChinChannel <\/b>an \u201cextremist formation\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

On 26 June, political prisoner <\/span>Jahor Ciu\u0161kievi\u010d<\/b>, a musician who worked at the Brest Puppet Theatre, faced another trial. No details have been disclosed. On 19 December 2024, the Brest Regional Court sentenced Ciu\u0161kievi\u010d to six years in a minimum-security penal colony under <\/span>Article 361-4(1) and (2)<\/b> of the Criminal Code (facilitating extremist activity), <\/span>Article 361-1(3)<\/b> (creating or participating in an extremist formation), and <\/span>Article 341<\/b> (desecration of buildings and damage to property).<\/span><\/p>\n

II. <\/b>Persecution and administrative arrests of cultural figures and participants in cultural events<\/b><\/h5>\n

On the night of 21\u201322 June, participants in a music rave near Sto\u016dbcy were detained. According to participants, the gathering was exclusively a cultural and recreational event with no political connection. Nevertheless, law enforcement officers, accompanied by service dogs, arrived at the venue, stopped the music and performances, and began detaining attendees, including musicians and singer-songwriters. All those detained were taken in for questioning and subsequently charged with administrative offences.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some detainees were sentenced to 10 and 15 days of administrative arrest. Afterwards, security forces published a video featuring two detained men, describing them as the organisers of the event. They were forced to \u201cconfess\u201d that they had organised the gathering without obtaining approval from the local authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

III. Conditions in places of incarceration<\/b><\/h5>\n

Former political prisoners reported that since his detention on 21 October 2020, artist <\/span>Ivan Viarbicki<\/b> has spent more than 1,065 days in punishment cells and cell-type detention facilities. In April 2026, he was transferred to Penal Colony No. 9 and immediately placed in a punishment cell.<\/span><\/p>\n

Viarbicki was sentenced on 15 March 2021 in a politically motivated case to eight years and one month in a medium-security penal colony.<\/span><\/p>\n

IV. Persecution of exiled cultural figures<\/b><\/h5>\n

<\/b>1.<\/strong> On 23 June, the summer house of journalist and writer <\/span>U\u0142adzimir Chilmanovi\u010d<\/b>, located in the village of Navasio\u0142ki in the Masty District, was sold at auction. On 19 August 2024, the Hrodna Regional Court sentenced Chilmanovi\u010d in absentia to five years’ imprisonment in a medium-security penal colony and imposed a fine of BYN 40,000 (approximately USD 13,370). The property was put on sale to recover the amount of the fine.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/b>2.<\/strong> On 24 June, it became known that the house of publisher <\/span>Ihar \u0141ohvina\u016d<\/b>, owner and director of the private publishing house <\/span>\u0141ohvina\u016d<\/span><\/i>, in the village of Kaptaruny (Pastavy District), had been sealed by the authorities.<\/span><\/p>\n

V. <\/b>Designation of documentary films as \u201cextremist\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

On 17 June, it became known that the Leninski District Court of Hrodna had declared a number of documentary films and videos on history themes \u201cextremist,\u201d including:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Kro\u016d i Popie\u0142 Dra\u017ena<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Blood and Ashes of Drazhna<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Ama\u013a Zabyty Les<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>The Almost Forgotten Forest<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Kurapaty<\/i><\/b>;\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Historyja Bie\u0142arusi! S. Bu\u0142ak-Ba\u0142achovi\u010d!<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>History of Belarus! S. Bulak-Balakhovich!<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Bie\u0142aru\u015b pad niamieckaj akupacyjaj<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Belarus under German Occupation<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Rascis\u0142a\u016d \u0141apicki! Heroj nacyjanalnaha supracivu!<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Rastsi\u0142a\u016d Lapicki! Hero of the National Resistance!<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Vojska Polskaje na terytoryi Bie\u0142arusi<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>The Polish Army on the Territory of Belarus<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Braty pa kryvi! NKVD = GESTAPO<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>Brothers in Blood! NKVD = GESTAPO<\/i><\/b>);\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n
  • Prakliatyja dy Zabytyja!<\/i><\/b> (<\/b>The Cursed and the Forgotten!<\/i><\/b>), Parts 1 and 2.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    VI. <\/b>Designation of cultural projects\u2019 social media as \u201cextremist\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

    <\/b>1.<\/strong> On 29 June, the Ministry of Information added the Instagram account <\/span>@polackija_labirynty<\/b> of the publishing house <\/span>Po\u0142ackija \u0141abirynty<\/i><\/b> to the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/b>2.<\/strong> On 29 June, the Ministry of Information expanded the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d to include the Telegram channel <\/span>“Volny chor” \u2013 Choir of Free Belarusians<\/b>, the Instagram account of the Belarusian film festival <\/span>bulbamovie<\/b>, as well as the sticker packs <\/span>Malawanycz<\/b>, <\/span>Bie\u0142aruskija Symbali<\/b>, <\/span>\u015aciah Bie\u0142arusi<\/b>, <\/span>Kni\u017eny Voz<\/b>, <\/span>\u017dyvie Bie\u0142aru\u015b!<\/b>, <\/span>Pahonia<\/b>, <\/span>Bie\u0142aru\u015b B\u010cB<\/b>, and <\/span>Belarus Symbols<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    VII<\/b>. <\/span>Designation of cultural figures\u2019 social media as \u201cextremist\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

    <\/b>1.<\/strong> On 16 June, the Facebook page of writer <\/span>Juhasia Kalada<\/b> was added to the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    <\/b>2.<\/strong> On 16 June, the Instagram accounts of producer <\/span>Janusz Gawryluk <\/b>and actor <\/span>Micha\u015b Zuj<\/b> were added to the list of \u201cextremist materials\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    VIII. Designation of cultural projects as \u201cextremist formations\u201d<\/b><\/h5>\n

    On 16 June, the Ministry of Internal Affairs designated the satirical project <\/span>ChinChinChannel<\/b> an \u201cextremist formation\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

    IX. Cancellation of cultural events<\/b><\/h5>\n

    The <\/span>Kupalle<\/b> celebration scheduled for 28 June at the <\/span>Dukorski Manor<\/b> museum complex was cancelled.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    To report a violation (including confidentially) or to correct data presented in the report, please contact us at\u00a0dapamoha@penbelarus.org\u00a0or t.me\/viadoma. As of 30 June 2026, at least 123 cultural figures, including at least 25 writers, were either imprisoned or under home confinement. The number of banned books remained at 357. Political prisoner, musician Jahor Ciu\u0161kievi\u010d faced<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":117,"featured_media":23143,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4255],"tags":[4291,4285],"class_list":["post-23110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cultural-right","tag-chronicle","tag-hronika"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/117"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23110"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23144,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23110\/revisions\/23144"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23143"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/penbelarus.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}