JOIN ZVYANO AND HELP WATCH DOCS BELARUS
Following the arrest and subsequent release of Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaya, the Belarusian authorities have continued to harass WATCH DOCS Belarus. The festival organizers are under criminal investigation, and the Zvyano Association faces the threat of liquidation. Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaya, the head of the organization and founder of the festival, has issued an appeal to all those who care about the future of Belarusians fighting for democracy. Let’s help spread her message as widely as possible and support our friends in this difficult time.
Fill out a short form by June 18 to join the Zvyano Association and help WATCH DOCS Belarus!
PUBLIC STATEMENT
NGO ‘Zvyano’
In response to the threat of liquidation of the organization
Dear fellow citizens, and citizens of any country who empathize with the suffering of Belarusians and their striving for democratic change,
We, the members of the NGO ‘Zvyano,’ are seeking your support.
In April 2021, searches were carried out at our organization’s office and at the homes of our activists. As a result, our equipment, documents, and money were confiscated, and five activists were arrested. Currently, the leadership of the organization has been assigned suspect status under a criminal charge for ‘Organizing group actions that grossly violate public order, disobey government officials’ legal orders, disrupt transport, enterprises, institutions, or organizations, or actively participate in such activities.
We want to emphasize that we have not committed any illegal actions but have been working exclusively through legal means to protect human rights.
On June 9, our organization received a written warning from the registering body, the Main Department of the Ministry of Justice, regarding the alleged violation of current legislation by our association.
According to Ministry of Justice specialists, the monitoring of the healthcare system that Zvyano conducted during the pandemic allegedly contradicts both the legislation and the organization’s Charter. However, the Charter of the Public Association ‘Zvyano’ explicitly includes such activities. Among the tasks and methods outlined in our Charter are the analysis of social problems faced by families and finding ways to address them, as well as the collection and analysis of information to promote a healthy lifestyle and protect families, motherhood, and childhood.
The warning claims that on May 19, an inspection program to verify the compliance of our activities with legal and Charter requirements was sent to us. We were supposed to provide information and documents as part of this program. However, we never received the letter with this program. Furthermore, our documents, equipment, and even our organizational seal are still under examination by the Investigative Committee.
Additionally, the warning suggests that our website contains a task not specified in our Charter. However, this task is indeed reflected in the Charter, and the only difference between the website and the Charter is a rearrangement of words that does not change the meaning. On the website, we state that we aim to “promote the ideas of humane, moral, tolerant, anti-discriminatory, open, and responsible relationships in society,” while the Charter says, “promote in society the ideas of humane, moral, tolerant, anti-discriminatory, open, and responsible relationships.”
Given this, we conclude that this warning is unfounded, politically motivated, and is part of a targeted effort to liquidate our organization. According to Belarusian law, the registering authority can begin the liquidation process for systematic violations, but we firmly believe there has been no such violation.
We are calling on all concerned citizens around the world to support us. If the Belarusian authorities succeed in destroying our organization, let it be known that we are a large and respected organization, with members who are valued in society. We have little time left: by June 18, we must submit the list of our organization’s members to the Ministry of Justice.
Please, if you wish to show solidarity with us, take a minute to fill out our form and spread the word to your friends and colleagues.
Statement from the Educational and Social Public Association ‘Zvyano’
The educational and social public association ‘Zvyano’ was officially registered in August 2013. Since its inception, we have been proud to implement a number of impactful projects and initiatives, including:
- Annual International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival WATCH DOCS Belarus, along with an award recognizing Belarusian documentary filmmakers.
- Baby-sitting services for single parents battling alcoholism, enabling them to regularly attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and maintain their sobriety.
- Rehabilitation and socialization programs for ex-prisoners, which included free consultations, basic computer skills courses, and psychological support.
- Monitoring the healthcare system during the epidemic, ensuring accountability and transparency.
- Advocating for changes in national alcohol policies, including the first-ever 24-hour online marathon on NON-addiction, where addiction-related issues were discussed live.
- Exhibition “The Machine Breathes, but I Do Not”, expressing gratitude to Belarusian healthcare workers while also addressing the politicization of the healthcare system and the violence faced by medical professionals.
- Human rights reports documenting violations from August 7-14, 2020, providing assistance to victims in hospitals, and co-founding the International Committee for the Investigation of Torture, which is part of the steering committee for the International Accountability Platform for Belarus.
- Gift of Kazimir Malevich’s book, ‘God Isn’t Thrown Off. Art, Church, Factory’, presented to the Vitebsk Center for Contemporary Art, among other significant cultural and educational projects.
We are deeply grateful for your solidarity and support.
Head of Council
Zvyano
Tanya Hatsura-Yavorska and team