Last Sunday, a delegation from the Poznan section of the Anarchist Federation and
the Plakaciary Collective, at the invitation of the Dissidentby group , tookpart in the Warsaw celebration of the Day of Solidarity with Belarusian PoliticalPrisoners. ---- This day, May 21, was established by the Wiasna Center for theDefense of Human Rights on the anniversary of the death (in unclearcircumstances) of the opposition activist Vitald Ashurak in the penal colony inShklov. Ashruk was one of many detained and convicted oppositionists after theprotests that we could observe in Belarus in 2020. In May 2021, his death wasannounced. No criminal proceedings have been initiated over his death. Accordingto the official version, the cause of death was "cardiac arrest". The family andassociates of the political prisoner are convinced that his death was violent. From the accounts of fellow prisoners, it was possible to learn that screamscould be heard from his cell, probably his body could not withstand the torturesthat the officers subjected him to.Organizing events on this day every year is to remind not only about the fate ofAszurek, but also about the situation of all current political prisoners inprisons and penal colonies of the Lukashenko regime.According to the Dissidentby group, there are currently 1,789 political prisonersin Belarus behind bars (including: 206 women and 7 minors are in custody or theirfreedom is restricted; 16 people have been sent for forced treatment). It wastheir fate that was demanded during the Sunday protest.The delegation from Poznan took part in this part of the events, which took placeat the monument of Nicolaus Copernicus. A kind of solidarity chain was set upthere, i.e. a makeshift fence to which photos of people in prison were attached.There were also people with their own banners and posters referring to individualprisoners.Having the opportunity to address the gathered, a representative of KolektywRozbrat and FA-s Poznan pointed out that participation in the protest is one ofthe forms of showing solidarity with the prisoners. Quoting the words of MikhailBakunin that "I am truly free only when all the people around me are equallyfree", he appealed for unconditional support for all prisoners. It is impossibleto divide the imprisoned into better and worse, forgetting about those who resortto more radical measures in their actions against the regime. Above all, it isimportant to constantly remind about the fate of male and female prisoners.The representative of Plakaciar recalled how the impetus for their support forthe Belarusian opposition was the detention of Anastasia Kuchta and KitaCherenkova. This was due to the fact that Plakaciary as a group mainly deals withactivities related to counteracting violence against women. At the same time, shestressed that it is important to show support and help to the entire opposition.She also underlined the fact that one cannot feel truly free if one forgets aboutthe fate of the imprisoned.The Warsaw protest was certainly attended by several hundred people, on that day,apart from the march itself, meetings were held on the subject of the situationof prisoners, among others, representatives of the Dissidentby group, who werefriends with us, participated in one of them. It was from them that we heard howimportant it is for people from outside the Belarusian diaspora to get involvedin activities for the Belarusian opposition.Therefore, during the upcoming event in Rozbrat, which is the Fuck Fascism Fest# 8 festival , you will be able to visit the information stand regarding thesituation of imprisoned oppositionists. We encourage you to visit it as well asthe information page https://dissidentby.com/plwww.rozbrat.orghttps://federacja-anarchistyczna.pl/2023/05/24/dzien-solidarnosci-z-bialoruskimi-wiezniami-politycznymi/_________________________________________A - I N F O S N E W S S E R V I C EBy, For, and About AnarchistsSend news reports to A-infos-en mailing listA-infos-en@ainfos.ca
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