September 27, 2024 (press release) –
The Association of American Publishers (AAP) today awarded Januškevič Publishing House, a Belarusian publisher that now operates from Poland, the 2024 AAP International Freedom to Publish Award. The award recognizes a publisher outside of the United States who has demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending freedom of expression.
Founded in 2014 Januškevič Publishing House publishes and sells fiction, non-fiction, and historical books in the Belarusian language, activities which have become heavily discouraged by the Belarusian government under Russian influence.
In 2022, founder Andrej Januškevič was arrested for selling books in Belarusian and imprisoned for 28 days, and later that year was forced to flee to Poland, where his publishing house continued to publish materials for the Belarusian market. In 2023 Belarusian authorities revoked Januškevič’s publishing license, a move that effectively blocked the house from selling or operating as a publishing house in Belarus.
Nevertheless, readers of Belarusian can now access books published by Januškevič as eBooks in Belarus or anywhere in the world, or by purchasing physical copies of the books in Poland.
“This year we recognize a publishing house of extraordinary persistence and courage,” commented Maria A. Pallante, President and CEO, Association of American Publishers. “The leaders of Januškevič Publishing House have braved censorship, suffered incarceration, and endured exile, all in service of their mission to provide readers with literature in the Belarusian language. Together, the Board, membership, and staff of the AAP applaud Januškevič for preserving and celebrating a language that has long been under attack, and for demonstrating why the freedom to publish is an essential element of democratic society.”
“We are honored to accept AAP’s Freedom to Publish Award, and we are thankful for the acknowledgment of our work in Belarus and in exile,” commented Andrej Januškevič, Januškevič Publishing House. “The Belarusian language illuminates our culture and heritage, and together with our friends and colleagues at other houses that have seen their licenses revoked – including Limaryus, Knihazbor, Haliyafy, Medysont and Zmicier Kolas – we vow to keep that light alive in hopes that it may serve as a beacon, giving comfort to citizens of our homeland, and hope to those who must live in exile.”
Censorship in Belarus
Most independent publishing houses in Belarus were forced to close in the latter half of 2020 after heavily contested national elections that cemented the power of long-time Russian ally Alyaksandr Lukashenka. In 2020, Belarus’ authoritarian government commenced an intensified campaign of censoring publishers that promoted Belarusian identity, language, or history, or published texts in Belarusian. Currently just over a quarter of the country’s population speak Belarusian as part of their daily lives. It is now officially a vulnerable tongue according to UNSESCO (see page 37).
Belarusian Houses Denied License to Publish
The Belarusian government requires publishing houses to obtain a license to publish, but houses appear to be routinely restricted from registering or their licenses are not granted. In addition to Januškevič Publishing House, the government’s Ministry of Information revoked the licenses of fellow independent publishing houses Limaryus, Knihazbor, Haliyafy, Medysont and Zmicier Kolas.
“The Dogs of Europe” by Alhierd Bacharevič
Belarusian authorities branded “The Dogs of Europe” an extremist text because it was published in Belarusian, and because of perceived political symbolism.
“The Ballad of the Little Tugboat” by Joseph Brodsky, translated by Alesya Aleinik
A Belarusian court labeled “The Ballad of the Little Tugboat” – an illustrated children’s book by Joseph Brodsky, the Nobel prize winning author and former Poet Laureate of the United States – as extremist because the book had been translated into Belarusian, and because its cover bore the image of a red and white colored tugboat – the colors of the outlawed Belarusian flag.
Other titles deemed extremist include the monograph “Agrarian Policy of the Nazi’s in Western Belarus” by Sviatlana Kazlova and “Mr. A’s Latest Book” by Alhierd Bacharevič.
The International Freedom to Publish Award, which was established in 2002, recognizes a publisher outside the United States who has demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending freedom of expression. The award, which includes a cash prize, was created in honor of Jeri Laber, a co-founder of Human Rights Watch and founding member of AAP’s Freedom to Publish Committee. At times, honorees may be unable to accept the award without fear of reprisal or communicate in person.
Previous recipients of the award include Venezuela-based Editorial Dahbar in 2022, Guatemala-based F&G Editores in 2021, Bangladesh-based Jagriti Publishing House in 2020; South Africa-based NB Publishers in 2019; and in 2018 Azadeh Parsapour, a London-based publisher of censored Iranian authors. In 2023, AAP awarded it to publishing houses from around the world that face a rising tide of government pressure, harassment, and threats.
About AAP
AAP | The Association of American Publishers represents the leading book, journal, and education publishers in the United States on matters of law and policy, advocating for outcomes that incentivize and protect works of authorship and the creative, intellectual, and financial investments that make them possible. As essential participants in local markets and the global economy, our members invest in and inspire the exchange of ideas, transforming the world we live in one word at a time. Find us online at www.publishers.org or on Twitter and Instagram at @AmericanPublish.
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