Belarusian Officials Designate Two Poems By 19th-Century Author As Extremist

Belarusian authorities have designated two 19th-century poems by a writer who is considered a father of Belarusian literature as extremist. The August 17 decision by the Prosecutor-General’s office targeted poems by Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkevich, written during the uprising of Kastus Kalinouski, a partisan who led a revolt against Russian imperial forces in 1863. Many of Dunin-Martsinkevich’s writings are required reading in Belarusian schools. His plays are frequently staged in Belarusian theaters, and several streets and theaters also bear his name. Dunin-Martsinkevich died in 1884. A 20th-century preface to a collection of his works, written by a scholar of Belarusian literature and culture, was also designated extremist. To read the original story by Current Time, click here.