History textbooks on information ministry’s “harmful” register

November 22, Pozirk. The Belarusian history textbook Narysy Historyji Biełarusi (1795-2002), published in 2003 by the Minsk-based Encykłapiedyks opens the list of 35 new print publications that the Belarusian information ministry has declared “harmful to national interests.”

Even though the author was not named, Belarusian historian Zachar Šybieka, currently based in Israel, is known to have published a book with the same title in 2003.

The book presented Belarus’ history from the national viewpoint based on “the existence of Belarusian ethnicity as a subject of historical study” for many centuries, say the Belarusian digital library kamunikat.org about the textbook. “The authors put the historical path of the Belarusian people in a new perspective.”  

The list features two other history books by Vadzim Dzieružynski and Kastuś Ćvirka.

Most of the books branded as “harmful” were published in Moscow. This may be linked to Information Minister Marat Markaŭ’s concerns about an influx of books that “can be considered extremist” from Russia. The list of extremist products already contains about 7,000 entries and is constantly expanding, the official noted yesterday.

Last week, the information ministry instructed book and print media traders to remove items “harmful to national interests” from sale. The ministry’s definition of “harmful” covers “print publications distorting historical truth and justice” among others.

Yesterday, authorities threatened merchants with revoking their licenses should they sell publications branded as “harmful.”