A message to Lukashenko: On the wall of the Belarusian embassy in Prague
photo: source from the PrahaIN.cz editorial office/Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
WE KNOW FIRST On Friday, a colorful message was placed at the Belarusian embassy in Prague. First, it was heavily stained with red paint, and then the black inscription “Freedom for Ihar A.” was added to this background. The purpose is to draw attention to the twenty-year sentence of Igor Olinevič (Ihar Alinevič), whom not only Belarusian human rights organizations refer to as a political prisoner.
“Igor has decided to go on a protest hunger strike in appalling prison conditions, and there is reasonable fear for his life. The Belarusian regime repeatedly shows its disrespect for life when it lets people be killed on the street, buries them alive in crime pits, lets them be tortured,” a source with detailed knowledge of the case told our editors.
According to her, the red color on the wall and fence symbolizes the blood of people who are massacred by the Belarusian police during demonstrations and in the torture chambers of the KGB.
According to the authors, the message on the wall then reminds the Belarusian regime that people see its crimes and will not remain silent.
“Recently, there have been a lot of colorful reports at the embassies of other countries: Turkey, Russia, Iran, Ukraine,” added our source.
Through him, the PrahaIN.cz server managed to obtain a photo from the place. This is the seat of the Belarusian Embassy in Prague’s Troja.
photo-: source from the PrahaIN.cz editorial office
During Saturday, it was not possible to call the embassy, the phone was ringing. We will try to get a response from the employees there on Monday.
The legacy of Václav Havel
In 2016, Igor Olinevič was awarded the Viktor Ivashkevich human rights award for personal courage.
Ivashkevich’s name is very important and resonates not only in Belarus. He is one of the signatories of Charter 97, which refers to our Charter 77. The Belarusian opposition in the text of the speech on the unconstitutional actions of President Alexander Lukashenko, the violation of freedom and the devastation of the Belarusian language.
The situation in Belarus is very confusing for Czech observers. Alexander Lukashenko has ruled the country with a hard and uncompromising hand since 1994. Many journalists and activists live in fear. The media has a limited scope. Regular news that misses the mainstream appears, for example, on the local website NAVYNA BY.
The logo of this media is dominated by the typical symbol V, generally associated with Václav Havel.
photo-: source from the PrahaIN.cz editorial office
There were more events of this kind
During the current Russian aggression in Ukraine, Belarus is referred to as one of Russia’s closest partners.
In addition, Lukashenko announced the creation of a “joint Belarusian-Russian group of troops” located in Belarus. Vladimír Makej, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs there, chooses strong rhetoric especially towards Kyiv.
At the beginning of October, the Ukrainian embassy in Prague was also attacked with red paint. Even before that, the embassy of Russia was attacked (we wrote about it here).
“Blood” on the window of Sberbank in the center of Prague appeared already in June.
“The case was investigated for suspicion of criminal damage to another’s property. Based on the evaluation of the secured traces, it was not possible to obtain information that would lead to revealing the identity of the person who committed it. Based on these facts, the case was postponed. That’s all that can be said about the matter,” Jan Rybanský, press spokesman for the Prague police, told our editors at the time. (you can find the photo here)