The comradeship of the Belarusian Anarchist Black Cross has issued an international appeal for help with its activities.
Lukashenko’s authoritarian regime imprisons a large number of anarchists. The rest of the movement is either underground or in exile. It is from there that he coordinates help for his imprisoned friends. The Anarchist Federation supports the Anarchist Black Cross – Belarus for a long time. That is why we personally congratulated this collective on the 15th anniversary of its existence at a meeting in Warsaw on Saturday, August 24, and we also publish its following international appeal:
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Raise awareness of Belarusian anarchists and anti-fascists! The more people know about the anarchist struggle in Belarus, the more we can multiply our common efforts and solidarity. Here are some points how everyone can help very simply:
1) Wear our merch: it’s simple, yet important! A t-shirt can be a good conversation starter. You can find some great ones at abc-belarus.org/en/merch.
2) Organize an event in your community: Call a demonstration, put up a banner, put up posters, create graffiti, or organize an event to talk about Belarusian anarchists* in prison. Even small acts of protest and resistance can grow and inspire others.
3) Invite us to your events: Is there a book fair or festival coming up in your area? We are happy to come and share the stories of our friends who resist tyranny.
4) Start a solidarity campaign: We are a small collective, often absorbed by the daily tasks of supporting prisoners. You can strengthen our efforts by launching awareness campaigns that draw attention to specific cases, male and female prisoners, or AČK-Belarus as a whole. Your voice can be heard where ours cannot.
5) Display a poster at your workplace / when organizing community events etc.: It may seem like a small gesture, but visibility matters. By putting up a poster or leaving leaflets in public places, you will help us to reach new people who can get excited about the event.
6) Create art inspired by our struggle: Use your creativity, be it painting, poetry, music or digital media, to tell the story of Belarusian anarchists. Share your work online or exhibit it in local galleries and events.
7) Fight against injustice and dictatorship everywhere in the world: The best way to support our imprisoned friends is to continue to fight – against the Belarusian state, against all states and against the prisons that try to kill us. Every act of resistance against oppression, wherever you are, strengthens our common fight for freedom.
In solidarity, every action counts. Together we can break down the walls and advance in the fight for liberation and justice!
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We will just add one more point, namely writing letters to imprisoned activists. You can find some basic advice on writing letters to prison HERE. You can find an overview of imprisoned anarchists in Belarus with options for contacting them on the website abc-belarus.org.
27.8.2024 Foreign Secretariat of the AF
