Яраслаў Іванюк і кнігі выдавецтва Kamunikat.org. Фота: reform.news
Pavel Latushka, head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, has voiced support for Yaraslau Ivaniuk and representatives of cultural organisations facing persecution by Lukashenka’s regime.
Lukashenka’s regime has placed Yaraslau Ivaniuk, founder of the Kamunikat online library and publishing house, on a wanted list. Ivaniuk is a Belarusian from Podlasie and a Polish citizen who conducts entirely legal cultural activities in the EU and has devoted more than a quarter of a century to preserving and developing Belarusian heritage. Ivaniuk has also been added to Russia’s wanted database.
“This step is further evidence that the regime continues its large-scale transnational repression,” Pavel Latushka writes. “While Yaraslau Ivaniuk and representatives of cultural organisations and initiatives make an invaluable contribution to supporting Belarusian literature and national identity, Lukashenka’s regime continues its ruthless war against the Belarusian people and Belarusian culture. Fabricating criminal cases and creating fictitious ‘extremist groups’ are tools used by the illegitimate authorities to try to destroy everything Belarusian, even beyond our country’s borders.
Opening criminal cases and adding a Polish citizen to wanted databases are also a direct continuation of the regime’s hostile and destabilising actions against Poland and neighbouring EU countries. Lukashenka has once again demonstrated that his repressive domestic policies and aggressive foreign policy remain unchanged.
On behalf of myself and the National Anti-Crisis Management team, I express full solidarity with Yaraslau Ivaniuk and all cultural figures who have become targets of persecution.”
In an interview with Polish Radio, Yaraslau Ivaniuk explained that, judging by the experience of others, he would simply be unable to travel to any country that cooperates with Russia on the search for wanted individuals. The publisher said he was consulting lawyers and counting on assistance from the Polish state and human rights organisations.
“Lukashenka’s regime is persecuting me solely because I work to support Belarusian culture and Belarusian literature outside the Republic of Belarus, working in Poland and in EU countries. Yesterday, lawyers told me that the Polish state could at the very least demand that the persecution be suspended and that I be removed from the wanted list,” Yaraslau Ivaniuk added.
Some Polish media outlets have also commented on the transnational persecution of Polish citizen Yaraslau Ivaniuk for his legal activities.