During her visit to Brussels, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya inaugurated the exhibition “Voices from Prison: Art as Resistance”. The project features drawings and letters revealing the stories of Belarusian political prisoners, their resilience, and the defiance they demonstrate even behind bars.
In her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya praised the project as important and shared her reflections after viewing the exhibition:
“This exhibition pays tribute to our political prisoners. There are over 1,300 of them officially but the real number is much higher.
You can probably guess what strikes me the most here – the outline of my husband’s hand. Words can’t convey all the emotions I feel. Siarhei sent letters like this before he lost all contact with the outside world – more than 600 days ago. Since then, my children and I have not heard from him and don’t even know if he is alive.
Thankfully, some of the contributors to this exhibition have been freed. But many are still imprisoned. For them, writing poetry or drawing is perhaps their only way to preserve their humanity in inhumane conditions.
By displaying the works of political prisoners, we remind the world of their plight and the urgent need to secure their release”.
The exhibition was organized by the European External Action Service in cooperation with Belarusian partners, including the Representation for National Revival of the United Transitional Cabinet, BYSOL, A Country to Live in, Voices Across Borders, and Freedom Postcards.
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