Siarhei
Tsikhanouski
Siarhei Tsikhanouski was born on August 18, 1978, in Homiel. For a long time, he ran a business in video filming. In March 2019, Siarhei started a YouTube channel, A Country to Live in, which in less than a year became the most popular in the Belarusian segment of Youtube. The blogger actively traveled across the regions of Belarus, met with subscribers, and interviewed them to let the local residents share their problems.
In 2020, Siarhei announced his intention to participate in the presidential election. The government started putting obstacles right away. Siarhei was arrested when he was to submit documents to the Central Election Commission. That prompted his wife Sviatlana to register as a candidate herself instead of him.
At the end of May 2020, Siarhei Tsikhanouski was again detained at his picket in Hrodna. Criminal charges were brought against him and extended later. In late 2021, Siarhei was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment in a high-security penal colony. He was later transferred to prison.
IN 2023, HE WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE LAUREATE OF THE FRANCIŠAK ALACHNOVIČ AWARD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 2013 BY THE BELARUSIAN PEN-CENTER TOGETHER WITH RADIO SVABODA AND IS AWARDED FOR WORKS BASED ON THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL PRISON EXPERIENCE.
Find Siarhei's current address on his PERSONAL PAGE at the Viasna Human Rights Center website. Click SEND A POSTCARD to support him and sign a postcard for the political prisoner.
The one who doesn't look, finds nothing!
The one who doesn’t look, finds nothing!
Those who don’t wait, get no rewards.
Only the burning ones are shining,
The doubtful ones throw up their cards.
There’s no burnout without burning,
There’s no winning with no game.
I know this isn’t all for nothing,
Though paradise is not a thing.
One can’t lose freedom that’s not theirs,
The freedom that they never had.
One cannot take it without daring
And pass it on to people’s hands.
The best of us will have to wait,
And after waiting – start anew.
This is a rather grievous take:
We aren’t many. We are few.
In language and poems, in bright people that are in dark places, — Belarus Lives.
POEMS FROM PRISON IS A JOINT PROJECT OF THE FREEDOM POSTCARDS INITIATIVE AND People’s Embassy of Belarus in Brazil.
Siarhei
Tsikhanouski
SIARHEI TSIKHANOUSKI WAS BORN ON AUGUST 18, 1978, IN HOMIEL. FOR A LONG TIME, HE RAN A BUSINESS IN VIDEO FILMING. IN MARCH 2019, SIARHEI STARTED A YOUTUBE CHANNEL, A COUNTRY TO LIVE IN, WHICH IN LESS THAN A YEAR BECAME THE MOST POPULAR IN THE BELARUSIAN SEGMENT OF YOUTUBE. THE BLOGGER ACTIVELY TRAVELED ACROSS THE REGIONS OF BELARUS, MET WITH SUBSCRIBERS, AND INTERVIEWED THEM TO LET THE LOCAL RESIDENTS SHARE THEIR PROBLEMS.
IN 2020, SIARHEI ANNOUNCED HIS INTENTION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. THE GOVERNMENT STARTED PUTTING OBSTACLES RIGHT AWAY. SIARHEI WAS ARRESTED WHEN HE WAS TO SUBMIT DOCUMENTS TO THE CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION. THAT PROMPTED HIS WIFE SVIATLANA TO REGISTER AS A CANDIDATE HERSELF INSTEAD OF HIM.
AT THE END OF MAY 2020, SIARHEI TSIKHANOUSKI WAS AGAIN DETAINED AT HIS PICKET IN HRODNA. CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE BROUGHT AGAINST HIM AND EXTENDED LATER. IN LATE 2021, SIARHEI WAS SENTENCED TO 18 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT IN A HIGH-SECURITY PENAL COLONY. HE WAS LATER TRANSFERRED TO PRISON.
IN 2023, HE WAS ANNOUNCED AS THE LAUREATE OF THE FRANCIŠAK ALACHNOVIČ AWARD, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 2013 BY THE BELARUSIAN PEN-CENTER TOGETHER WITH RADIO SVABODA AND IS AWARDED FOR WORKS BASED ON THE AUTHOR'S PERSONAL PRISON EXPERIENCE.
FIND SIARHEI'S CURRENT ADDRESS ON HIS PERSONAL PAGE AT THE VIASNA HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER WEBSITE. CLICK SEND A POSTCARD TO SUPPORT HIM AND SIGN A POSTCARD FOR THE POLITICAL PRISONER.
The one who doesn't look, finds nothing!
The one who doesn’t look, finds nothing!
Those who don’t wait, get no rewards.
Only the burning ones are shining,
The doubtful ones throw up their cards.
There’s no burnout without burning,
There’s no winning with no game.
I know this isn’t all for nothing,
Though paradise is not a thing.
One can’t lose freedom that’s not theirs,
The freedom that they never had.
One cannot take it without daring
And pass it on to people’s hands.
The best of us will have to wait,
And after waiting – start anew.
This is a rather grievous take:
We aren’t many. We are few.
In language and poems, in bright people that are in dark places, — Belarus Lives.
POEMS FROM PRISON IS A JOINT PROJECT OF THE FREEDOM POSTCARDS INITIATIVE AND People’s Embassy of Belarus in Brazil.