Maksim
Znak
Maksim Znak was born on September 4th, 1981 in Minsk. Before his arrest, he was engaged in legal practice. In 2007 he founded the YurZnak law firm. Maksim has a Ph.D. in history and has worked as an associate professor at the Law Department of Belarusian State University. In May 2020, he joined Viktar Babaryka's pre-election headquarters as a lawyer, and in August 2020 he became a member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council.
Maksim Znak was detained in September, 2020. A year later, he was sentenced to 10 years in a medium-security penal colony. While in custody, Maksim has been writing poetry and tales.
Find Maksim'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.
Potatoes
They had buried us, so they were thinking.
With potatoes it’s well worth a try!
We were growing and sprouting and springing,
Trying hard to rise up to the sky.
They were cutting us, slicing and chopping,
Every little piece pushed its way up.
There are more of us now! Pretty shocking!
Still another bag! Here you are!
They were leaving the bags in the darkness,
Found the remedy – that’s what they thought.
In the cellar we pushed out sprouts!
We’re alive! You will not wipe us out!
There’s no burying potatoes, forget!
They shall never be stopped or restrained!
We are living our calm peaceful lives,
Don’t you touch us, it will be your loss!
Translated from Belarusian by Volya
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.
Maksim
Znak
Maksim Znak was born on September 4th, 1981 in Minsk. Before his arrest, he was engaged in legal practice. In 2007 he founded the YurZnak law firm. Maksim has a Ph.D. in history and has worked as an associate professor at the Law Department of Belarusian State University. In May 2020, he joined Viktar Babaryka's pre-election headquarters as a lawyer, and in August 2020 he became a member of the Presidium of the Coordination Council.
Maksim Znak was detained in September, 2020. A year later, he was sentenced to 10 years in a medium-security penal colony. While in custody, Maksim has been writing poetry and tales.
Find Maksim'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.
Potatoes
They had buried us, so they were thinking.
With potatoes it’s well worth a try!
We were growing and sprouting and springing,
Trying hard to rise up to the sky.
They were cutting us, slicing and chopping,
Every little piece pushed its way up.
There are more of us now! Pretty shocking!
Still another bag! Here you are!
They were leaving the bags in the darkness,
Found the remedy – that’s what they thought.
In the cellar we pushed out sprouts!
We’re alive! You will not wipe us out!
There’s no burying potatoes, forget!
They shall never be stopped or restrained!
We are living our calm peaceful lives,
Don’t you touch us, it will be your loss!
(ананімны пераклад / anonymous translation)
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.