SOLIDARITY FUND TO SUPPORT FREE THEATRE BELARUS
The Executive Committe has decided to start a solidarity fund that will be in immediate function to support Free Theatre Belarus to continue their work and fight for freedom and justice in Belarus.
ARTfactories/Autre(s)pARTs invite you to support the organisation by making a contribution, big or small in the solidarity fund.
The fund is managed by Trans Europe Halles Coordination Office in collaboration with Free Theatre Belarus and monitored by the Executive Committee of Trans Europe Halles. They will collaborate with free Dimensional & the Creative Resistance Fund who immediately promised to ship in a contribution and to mobilise organisations in the US to support the fund.
The background :
Mass arrests in Minsk in the aftermath of the presidential election Belarus Free Theatre’s Natalya Kolyada released on bail.
In December 19, 2010, up to a thousand men and women were arrested and jailed in Minsk, Belarus, in a violent dispersal of the protest against the latest presidential elections of Belarus.
Among the arrested was Natalya Kolyada, Director of Belarus Free Theatre, who has been using the stage to fight for freedom of expression and democracy over the last 6 years. The company is touring worldwide with huge success, but are under constant harassment by the Belarusian authorities, as is their audience.
Natalya was released on bail after 14 hours and shortly after told the News agency Reuters that "They (the KGB) are cleansing the city." She also spoke to Index on Censorship on Monday afternoon, about the conditions in the jail. During her detention she was not allowed water, food or sleep. Those detained had to stay standing in freezing prison corridors and were fingerprinted and filmed.
Source : Trans Europe Halles