Dear All,

The Belarus Free Theatre (www.dramaturg.org) appeals for support of the Artistic Community of the World in regards of arrests of up to 60 spectators, all actors, managers, directors of Free Theatre including three children of 6, 7, and 8 years old together with our friends French Director Christian Benedetti, Director of Theatre-Studio Jerome Impilizzierri, and Assistant to director Nina Reno and Netherlands professor Boris Gerets and Production Manager Mark Jansen. It is happened on August 22 when about 30 representatives of three different special forces (OMON, KGB, and district police) entered a rented facility where the Free Theatre planned to show its performances.

This act of harassment and intimidation in connection to the Belarus Free Theatre and its friends is just regular attempt in a row of many cases of harassment like dismissals of actors, directors, sending down of theatre manager, closing down clubs where Free Theatre performed, etc. According to the Geneva Convention, it is “Prohibition of Profession”.

The Belarus Free Theatre wants to assure that we will not stop our activities and we would continue to promote human values by means of theatre.

We appeal to all our friends to support freedom of Expression and Assembly in Belarus.


The more detailed info is at www.charter97.org

Sincerely,
Natalia Koliada
Director and co-founder of the Belarus Free Theatre

Nikolai Khalezin
Art-director and co-founder of the Belarus Free Theatre, playwright

Vladimir Scherban
Belarus Free Theatre Director

 freetheatrepolicebusjpg.jpg (60.13 KB, 460x345 - viewed 718 times.)

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See the story as covered by the Guardian, and posted in Festival News on August 25:
http://kadmusarts.com/festivalnews/

Let us at KadmusArts know about any other news stories to post.

KadmusArts has blogged about this incident with additional information reported by the CBC.
Why are governments so afraid?

http://kadmusarts.com/blog/?p=333

-Ana Maria

  COURAGE TO ALL FRIENDS THAT FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHT!
NOW YOU ARE IN TERRIFYNG SITUATIONS, IN OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES TOTALITARISM IS NOT LESS EVINDENT BUT JUST POLITICALLY CORRECT AND I SHALL SAY, NOT YET NO MORE,
SO MISTAKES THAT  MEN AT THE POWER DO ARE THE IMPORTANT START THAT PUSH PEOPLE AT REACTION, WE ARE LUCKY EVERYTIME WE CAN HOPE IN A REACTION....
SOMETIME ESCAPING IS ALSO A CLEVER WAY TO MAKE A MORE COMPLETE OPPOSITION , GOOD LUCK AT ALL!