{"id":176856,"date":"2026-02-23T17:21:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T14:21:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176856\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"crackdown-on-publishers-kgb-declares-gutenberg-an-extremist-group","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176856\/","title":{"rendered":"Crackdown on publishers: KGB declares Gutenberg an extremist group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Gutenberg Publisher)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

February 23, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>The Committee for State Security (KGB) has designated Gutenberg Publisher, a Krakow-based publisher of Belarusian books, as an extremist group amid a wider crackdown on Belarusian-language initiatives. The KGB took the decision on February 16 and blacklisted the publisher on February 23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has identified Valancina Andreje\u016d, editor in chief, and Illa Andreje\u016d, head of imago.by, as individuals associated with the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am shocked,\u201d Valancina Andreje\u016d wrote on Facebook. \u201cI will not be putting my brave face on: I am sick of this news.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gutenberg Publisher released a Belarusian translation of George Orwell\u2019s 1984<\/em>, \u041a\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044b \u043f\u0430\u0434 \u0441\u044f\u0440\u043f\u043e\u043c \u0442\u0432\u0430\u0456\u043c<\/em> (Ears of Rye Under Your Sickle) by U\u0142adzimir Karatkievi\u010d, a collection of works by Andrej Skurko, a former senior executive with Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> who spend time in prison on politically-motivated charges, and novels by Sa\u0161a Filipenka banned for sale as \u201cextremist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the interior ministry blacklisted the publisher\u2019s social media accounts as \u201cextremist content.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a separate development on February 17 and 18, police in Minsk raided apartments and offices linked to book publishers and distributors, arresting about 10 people, Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> and the Viasna Human Rights Center reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll those arrested have rendered great services to Belarusian culture,\u201d Na\u0161a Niva<\/em> said. Other details are unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Police in Minsk also arrested last week Ihar Kim, a prominent Belarusian language advocate who was involved in an initiative to dub popular movies in Belarusian, and his wife, according to journalist Ihar \u0141osik.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On February 21, Technalohija, a Minsk-based publisher of books in Belarusian, announced on Facebook its decision to terminate operations without specifying any reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, the government enacted legislation that empowered the information ministry to suspend and close down publishers without taking disputes to court, a mandatory requirement before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many publishers of books in Belarusian have lost their licenses, including Medisont, Halijafy, Limaryjus, Knihazbor and Janu\u0161kievi\u010d. Some of these publishers continue operations in exile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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