From an email exchange between my friend and colleague Aaron Landsman and theater practitioners living in Belarus, who are experiencing the terrible breakdown in fundamental liberties firsthand.
Dear Aaron,
thank you so much for your support and sorry that we didn't answer before...
It is awful... More than 500 people are arrested for the last five days in Minsk, 300 more in the regions. During the night the camp was destroyed. People are arrested. They stayed in different jails along the walls and nobody allowed them to go the toilet. We stayed there every night. Yesterday, when we were stayed for already eight hours and got absolutely freezed, we went home and in one hour I got a call that the camp is destroyed and all people are arrested.
I can not read news anymore because it is just awful. But EU and the states make just statements, but no real sanctions. I think, the sanctions will come into force only if we are killed right in the street. It is absolutely terrible.
Two our assistants to director of the "Free Theatre" are arrested.
People severely beaten up. Most of the people who are arrested in the previous three days are people who were trying to bring blankets, tents and warm clothes.
Your support really help us to continue our fight, but we are not sure for how long time we will have our strengths.
Love,
Nikolai Khalezin & Natasha Koliada
PS. as for the "Free Theatre" you can read more about us at our site www.dramaturg.org
11:51 PM
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