Maryja Kalesnikava to become honorary professor in Austria

October 26, BPN. Maryja Kalesnikava, currently serving a lengthy prison term in Belarus on charges widely seen as politically motivated, will become an honorary professor at Mozarteum University Salzburg, Austria.

University Chancellor Elisabeth Gutjahr will preside over the award ceremony on October 30. Kalesnikava’s sister Taćciana Chomič and Belarusian philosopher Volha Šparaha will address the audience.

The university said the award is in recognition of Kalesnikava’s commitment to public freedom and basic democratic values.

In 2020, musician Maryja Kalesnikava became a campaign manager of presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka. Police arrested her in September 2020 and tried to force her to leave Belarus. One year later, authorities sentenced her to 11 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to seize power by unconstitutional means.