03/09/2023
If you have some time today, consider sending warm words to one of the 1,500+ individuals imprisoned for political reasons in Belarus.
You can read about them here:
Political prisoners in Belarus
Bloggers, businessmen, presidential campaign members and peaceful protesters are held in prisons only because they were not afraid to exercise their rights - the right to participate in peaceful assemblies, to express their opinion and to be involved in political activities.
21/07/2023
This is a long read but well worth the time if you want to start to understand some of the history behind the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Sadly Vasyl Ovsienko died yesterday.
I was fortunate to have met him at a festival at Perm 36 - his former prison. He was a very mild man who bore no animosity.
The article charts how Russia has become more oppressive over the last 20 years with the brutal destruction of civil society. The prison camp museum at Perm 36 was shut down, only to be reopened as a museum that celebrates the loyal service of the prison guards.
Memorial was officially liquidated in 2022 with many of its leaders forces to leave Russia.
‘An especially dangerous criminal’ The story of Vasyl Ovsienko, who spent more than 13 years in Soviet prisons for using the Ukrainian language — Meduza
Story by Kristina Safonova. Abridged translation by Carol Matlack.
