In September 2021, well-known Belarusian cultural figures Bogdanov Alexander, better known as Papa Bo (cultural manager, organizer, producer, DJ) and Kruk Maxim (scenographer, set designer) were harshly detained on politically motivated criminal charges for their participation in the peaceful 2020 protests in Minsk. During their arrest, they had to endure severe beatings and confiscation of professional equipment. Under pressure, “repentant” videos were recorded with them, the content of which does not correspond to reality. After this, the Savetski District Police Department of Minsk fabricated two cases for each of them for administrative violations (under Articles 19.11 and 24.3), in which the court sentenced them to 12 days of arrest. After serving his sentence, Maksim and Alexander were re-arrested under Article 342 of the Criminal Code for participation in the 2020 protests. They were recognized as political prisoners. Before the trial, they were kept for 2.5 months in a pre-trial detention facility (SIZO #1 in Minsk). After their sentencing on December 17, 2022 (3 years “restriction of freedom with referral”) they had to leave Belarus.
Videos for which cultural activists were sentenced to 3 years of “chemistry” with referral:
https://youtu.be/lPA0zKRBlk8?t=3826
Once they were safe, together with a team of like-minded people they held a successful event Belarus Outside Sound System in Tbilisi on March 20, 2022, which was attended by over 600 Belarusians and where they collected over 3,500 euros to help children in Ukraine https://youtu.be/UqL5Jb5mN0Q. They are planning and actively developing the organization of large-scale charity events in different parts of the world to consolidate the Belarusian diaspora, raising funds to help Ukraine, supporting Belarusian political prisoners, including repressed Belarusian cultural figures, bringing the Belarusian agenda into the field of vision of local active communities, declaring the theses “Belarusians are not allies of Belarusian authorities,” “Belarusians are categorically against war”. The guys need financial support for active planning and implementation of cultural resistance actions. You will do it!
How much is needed?
4000 € — to cover the primary needs of settling down in a new country; to rent housing; to pay for utilities.