Court shuts down private publisher

May 11, BPN. Minsk’s Economic Court has shut down Źmicier Kołas’ publishing house, the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) reports.

The private publishing house is known for printing Belarusian translations of foreign-language fiction, poetry, theater plays, and children’s literature. It put out a popular book series titled “Poets of the Planet.” The 100th book of the series was presented in a Minsk library on the last day of winter.

Two months ago, security forces arrested Kołas and printer Aleh Syčoŭ. Kołas spent 10 days in KGB detention only to be released without charges.

Supposedly irked by a book about the Belarusian-Polish border area in 1939-1941, the Ministry of Information requested that Kołas’ company be closed.