Is Time Running out for Democracy in Belarus?

Is Time Running Out for Democracy in Belarus? Thursday, 17th December 2020 at 5pm Following a flawed election in August 2020, which was neither free nor fair, Belarusians have protested the denial of democracy. Thousands of protesters have been arrested. Detention is widespread. Hundreds have been subjected to torture and other prohibited ill treatment. Police use of force is routine. Ten protesters have been killed. The authorities act with impunity. The pioneers of democracy in Belarus are either in prison or forced into exile. The acknowledged leader of the democratic Belarus movement, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, continues to call for free and fair elections and to galvanise democracies across the globe in support of democracy in Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko, the last dictator in Europe, reasserts his grip on power. After four months of protests, what options are there for democracy in Belarus? This webinar will bring together the key international actors and we will grapple with the issues facing democratic Belarus. How do we make sanctions meaningful? Will there be accountability for the serious human rights violations taking place in Belarus? Is the potential of the Council of Europe as a broker for peace being overlooked? What can the OSCE achieve? Can Russia’s influence be used to support democracy in Belarus? Can the UN system hold Belarus to account? Will the EU be able to insist that Belarus complies with democratic values? Is there a role for the UK? All these questions and more will be discussed in depth. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions from all those attending. Chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, the speakers are: • Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on International Relations, Valery Kavaleuski • EU Special Rapporteur of Human Rights, Eamon Gilmore • Chair of the PACE Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Boriss Cilevics • Council of Europe, Tatiana Termacic • OSCE Moscow Mechanism Rapporteur, Wolfgang Benedek • UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus, Anaïs Marin • Professor of International Human Rights Law, Liverpool University, Kanstantsin Dzehtsiarou • UK Ambassador to Minsk, Jacky Perkins • Belarus Free Theatre, Natalia Koliada Details of the event can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/is-time-running-out-for- democracy-in-belarus-tickets-132049909835 .

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Belarus Free Theatre Opens up Its Digital Archive to Share 24 Theatrical Productions from the Past 15 Years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday 2 April 2020 BELARUS FREE THEATRE OPENS UP ITS DIGITAL ARCHIVE TO SHARE 24 THEATRICAL PRODUCTIONS FROM THE PAST 15 YEARS WILL ATTENBOROUGH, STEPHEN FRY, ANDREI KHLYVNIUK, DAVID LAN, JULIET STEVENSON & SAM WEST JOIN NEW FAIRY-TALE-INSPIRED CAMPAIGN #LOVEOVERVIRUS 2020 marks the 15th anniversary of Belarus Free Theatre (BFT), the foremost refugee-led theatre company in the UK and the only theatre in Europe banned by its government on political grounds. Ahead of the announcement of the full programme of BFT’s 15th anniversary celebrations, and in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the company will open up its digital archive to make 24 acclaimed stage productions free to watch online, alongside the launch of a new fairy-tale-inspired campaign: #LoveOverVirus 15 YEARS OF THEATRICAL HIGHLIGHTS FREE TO WATCH ONLINE Belarus Free Theatre began 15 years ago this week – on 30 March 2005 – in Minsk under Europe's last surviving dictatorship. Since 2011, the company has been based between Minsk and London where its co-founding Artistic Directors, Natalia Kaliada and Nicolai Khalezin, are political refugees in the UK. New productions are created and rehearsed over Skype before premiering in continually changing underground locations in and around Minsk. Over the past decade, BFT has - through necessity - pioneered creating award-winning theatre at distance and will now share a raft of its theatrical highlights with audiences online at a time when more than a third of the world’s population is adapting to daily life under lockdown. Beginning this Saturday (4 April), and continuing each weekend for the next three months, 24 productions will be made available to watch online on BFT’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/BelarusFreeTheatre Each production listed below will air on the date indicated at 8pm GMT and will be available to watch for the following 24 hours.
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Culture and Change in Belarus
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Supporting Cultural Actors of Change in Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine
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"The history of war was replaced by the history of victory," this quote from the book The Unwomanly Face of War: An Oral History of Women in World War II” by Svetlana Alexievich very aptly describes the ideological reality in which we’ve been exisng for decades. The staged burning of a village, four thousand red and green balloons, veterans who are forced to aend the parade, but stripped of the single-me payments before Victory Day… We are waing for a real victory day – it will be the victory of light and love. 1. PERSECUTION, CONVICTIONS, CULTURAL POLICY 2. SYMBOLS 3. LIFE OF PEOPLE BEHIND BARS 4. DISSENT AND CULTURAL ACTIVISM 5. VOICES OF BELARUSIAN CULTURE 6. INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY 7. REPORT ON VIOLATIONS OF CULTURAL RIGHTS 8. POLITICAL PRISONERS’ BIRTHDAYS ЯК ДАПАМАГЧЫ ДЗЕЯЧАМ І ДЗЯЯЧКАМ КУЛЬТУРЫ падтрымайце кампанію Save Our Songs 02 1. Persecution, Convictions, Persecution, Convictions, Cultural Policy Cultural Policy Mikoła Dziadok [Mikola Dziadok], an acvist and blogger, had his file sent to the prosecutor's office, he is charged under three arcles of the Criminal Code: illegal acons with explosive substances; organizaon and preparaon of acons that grossly violate public order; calls for acon aimed at harming the naonal security of Belarus via the Internet. Photo: tut.by Another 14 people were convicted in Brest in the "Karahod case". For "acve parcipaon in group acons that grossly violate public order" they were sentenced to terms from 1.5 years of house arrest to 1 year of colony. Фота мае ілюстратыўны характар. This year on May 9 at the state level not only Victory Day will be celebrated but also the Day Edward Paterson @suh5pence, unsplash.com of the state flag and coat of arms.
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Coronavirus Pandemic: Theatres in Europe Urge Support from EU and Member States Joint Statement by European Theatrical Institutions Berlin: 16.03.2020 Following governmental decisions of Member States to fight the spread of COVID-19, theatres in Europe have been ordered by national governments to temporarily stop performing, avoiding large gatherings. The cancellation of live performances across European countries will have unprecedented economic consequences and affects an already precarious sector. While the harsh measures are responsible actions to face the severe situation, the degree of financial damage for theatres and all involved actors of the creative and cultural sector is yet to be determined. 1) We call upon the EU and Member States to provide necessary measures and allocate funds to compensate the loss of income. - The announced Corona Response Investment Initiative by the European Commission shall also benefit the suffering theatre sector. Measures must take into account the various economic and legal entities of the public and private sector, small and medium sized enterprises and address the needs specifically: - Public funds must not be held back nor cut according to the annual budget - Venues must not reimburse public earmarked funds for specific actions already spent and linked to cancelled performances - Loss of box office income for venues must be compensated - Individual artists and theatre companies must be compensated for the loss of income due to cancelled performances and creation processes 2) We urge the EU and Member States to support theatres and all performing arts professionals in Europe, guaranteeing the sustainability of the sector and one of the key European cultural art forms which gathers people in social and democratic contexts.
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