Invitation to presentation in Vilnius
At 2 p.m. on 16 January the Belarusian Human Rights
House in exile (Vilnius, Lithuania), the Human Rights Center “Viasna” (Belarus)
and the civil campaign “Our House” (Belarus) hold the presentation of a book, a
calendar, a postcard and a number of short videos, dedicated to participants of Square-2010, peaceful
post-election protest action held on 19 December 2010 in the center of Minsk
to protest against the rigged presidential election in Belarus. The peaceful
rally was violently dispersed by the police. Hundreds of people were
imprisoned. An unprecedented wave of repressions has started in Belarus and
continues up to the present day.
The book “Upstream” by Belarusian journalist Aliaksandr Tamkovich, issued with
the assistance of the Human
Rights Center
“Viasna”, will be presented during the first part of the presentation.
The book describes the participants of Square-2010 who were convicted on
criminal charges. A part of them have been released already, while others are
still serving their prison terms. There are many different people among them:
poet Uladzimir Niakliayeu, professor Anatol Paulau, politician Mikalai
Statkevich all of whom have long life experience behind them, as well as such
youngsters as Fiodar Mirzayanau and Mikita Likhavid, or Anatol Liabedzka and
Pavel Seviarynets who are well-known for their political struggle. All of them
were united by the faith in justice, love to their Fatherland and readiness to
fight for the truth and future.
“The events of 19 December 2010 had such a strong impact on the society that at
present all statements about the so-called “Belarusian quietness” and
“stability”, heard during the last 17 years, are perceived as nothing but an
attempt to present somebody’s dreams as reality. The book is about those who had
enough courage to go upstream,” reads the summary of the book.
A calendar, a postcard and video clips, dedicated to the women who fell victims
of the events of 19 December 2010 and were put into one cell as a result of the
dispersal of the peaceful rally, will be presented during the second part of
the event. This production concerns the issue of women’s solidarity,
specifically women’s problems in jail and the treatment of female prisoners by
male guards. There will also be presented the coloring book “My father is a
policeman. The things he does at work”, which reflects case of violence towards
women from the side of the Belarusian police. The book was issued within the
framework of the campaign “Beware of the police”, held by “Our House”.
The event will be held on the following address:
Vilnius, Latako Street, 3.
The access is free. All interested people are invited to take part the event.
The languages: Belarusian and Russian with translation into English.
Duration: 1.5 hours.
