Actors reading lines to an empty space on stage, musicians performing at an outdoor kids’ party, a woman singing a lyrical folksong – joyful and light-hearted images that have become the symbols of confronting repression. Today, they have also become symbols of courage and solidarity, as hundreds of Belarusian artists are being targeted by the government for their artistic expression of dissenting views. Some have been fired from their jobs, others have been detained and tortured, yet others are languishing behind bars awaiting trial and facing long prison sentences. Four lives, four very different stories. This briefing is about Belarusian artists who have continued to create and speak out.
