Belarusian Musicians Imprisoned in Lukashenko's Crackdown on Dissent

Members of the Tor Band in Belarus have been handed lengthy prison sentences as part of President Alexander Lukashenko's crackdown on dissent. The band's leader, Dzmitry Halavach, was sentenced to nine years, while Yauhen Burlo and Andrei Yaremchyk received eight and seven and a half years, respectively. Human rights groups have revealed the existence of blacklists containing the names of banned musicians and artists. Artists considered disloyal to the government are often replaced by performers from Russia. PEN Belarus, an organization focused on freedom of expression, has compared the situation to the practices of the Soviet era. The Tor Band members were convicted of various criminal charges, including forming an extremist group and insulting Lukashenko. Advocacy group Viasna Human Rights Centre criticized the sentences as an unprecedented assault on creativity, while opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya condemned the regime's fear. The band members were arrested during a major crackdown on protests, resulting in many Belarusians fleeing the country. Larisa Gribaleva, a singer and TV host, was also detained, and Viasna has reported her inclusion in a secret list of prohibited performers. PEN Belarus has documented 925 cases of human rights violations, including censorship and denial of fair trials, in the first half of this year. The targeting of cultural figures began in 2020, and other musicians, such as Irdorath band members, had to leave the country after serving jail sentences. Unfortunately, artist Ales Pushkin died in prison while serving his sentence for inciting hatred and desecration of state symbols.