Winners of “Belarus Press Photo – Multimedia”
1 place
Alexander Vasukovich
In December 2010 presidential elections were held in Belarus. The public had high hopes for fair election that would lead to a change of the current leader – president Alexander Lukashenko, who rules the country for 16 years. About 40000 people came out on the streets of Minsk. The peace rally was brutally suppressed by the army and riot police: about 700 people were detained, many of them were in need of medical care. Protesters were sentenced to 10-15 days in prison. Activists and ex-presidential candidates were charged with a more serious accusation — they may spend up to 15 years in prison. At this moment they convicted on the criminal case upon Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus, ‘mass riot’ for up to 6 years in prison.
2 place
Maksim Sarychau
Vitaly is “Food Not Bombs” social movement activist from Belarus. He is vegetarian with strong civic attitude. He participates in hardcore undeground music band. Since 2007 every Saturday morning Vitaly with few friends cook food on their own to serve it to poor minskers. Such kind of activism is also the way to show enormous number of people in need, number of people with lack of such basics as hot meals. So volunteers are trying to attract society’s attention to poverty and homelessness. Probably that’s why FNB activists often become target to local authorities pressure. It is not just a charity. This act of non-violent direct action is their personal attempt to build better society to live in—full of equality, solidarity and non-commercial affairs.
3 place
Andrei Liankevich
The project is dedicated to Belarus Pagan tradition, Pagan sacred places, animals and birds.
Special prize from Znyata
Anastasiya Sychuk
Belarus is the last country in Europe which did not sign the United Nation convention upon rights of disabled people. This is the country with more than five hundred thousand people having a disability including twenty two thousand of wheelchair-bound invalids. Wheelchair disabled peoples have a very hard life in Belarus. The majority of them can hardly go outside because of numerous barriers. This story is about how live a Belarusian invalid after he had lost both legs.
