Uladzimir MACKIEVIČ

PEN Belarus member and renowned philosopher Uladzimir Mackievič continued to serve a five-year prison sentence imposed on spurious public order and national security grounds in a closed-door trial on 23 June 2022. Detained on 4 August 2021 when the Belarusian KGB raided his house after he posted a video on YouTube, Mackievič was convicted of ‘organising and preparing actions that grossly violate public order’, ‘creation of an extremist group’ and ‘insulting the President’ under Articles 342.1, 361.1(1) and 368.1 of the Belarusian Criminal Code respectively. He is held in prison No.4 in Mahilioŭ – known for its harsh conditions (see Case Lists 2023/2024, 2022 and 2021). 

 Born on 14 May 1956, Uladzimir Mackievič is a prominent Belarusian philosopher, essayist, public figure, and broadcaster. He played a key role in launching Charter’97, a civic initiative working to restore democracy and human rights in Belarus. In 2011, some seven years after being stripped of the right to teach at Belarusian public universities for criticising Aliaksandr Lukašenka, he co-founded the Flying University, an independent platform that promotes critical thinking. Prior to his 2021 arrest, since 2012 he had been hosting ‘Talk of the Day’, a show on Belsat TV channel. A prolific writer, Mackievič has penned numerous articles and about 50 research papers on philosophy, politics, culture, and transformation of education. He co-authored a series of books on civil society, dialogue, and values entitled Belarus for Beginners (2006-2009) and published video courses on philosophy and social change.