Lawyers’ solidarity
Lithuanian Bar Association
The poster "Stop torturing Maksim Znak" in December was printed in the magazine "ADVOKATAS", No. 5, 2023.
Warsaw Bar Association
Resolution against torture of Maksim Znak.
Publication in support of the public campaign.
Paris Bar Association
Letter to Belarusian authorities to end incommunicado and stop torturing Maksim Znak.
Swedish Bar Association
Publication in support of the public campaign.
Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE)
Link to campaign website under "Defence of the defenders" (Other Initiatives, for December 2023) on the CCBE website.
International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
Open letter to Belarusian authorities to end incommunicado of Maksim Znak.
Publications on IBAHRI’s social media in support of the public campaign: one, two, three.
Lawyers for Lawyers
Open statement of joining the demand to stop the torture of Maksim Znak.
Social media publication in support of the public campaign.
International Observatory of Lawyers
The Observatory expresses its support for Belarusian lawyer Maksim Znak.
Belarusian project on advocacy "Right to defence"
Supported the initiative on their website.
Belarusian Association of Human Rights Lawyers
Publication in support of the public campaign.
In addition to publications on websites and social networks demanding an end to the torture of Maksim Znak, a number of letters with such a demand were also sent to the Belarusian authorities.
Public actions
On June 11, 2024, a public action demanding to stop the torture of Maksim Znak was held in Vilnius, in front of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus. The event was organized by the Lithuanian Bar Association and presented by its secretary general Paulius Griciūnas. The chairman of the Bar Mindaugas Kukaitis stated: “We are here today to defend the lawyer himself, we are here because our hearts tell us so, we are here to speak out loudly about a particular person, to speak out about the torture that is being inflicted on him, about the incommunicado situation in which the prisoner of conscience finds himself”. One of the representatives of Maksim Znak's defense, disbarred Belarussian lawyer Yauheni Pylchanka, emphasized that the demand to stop torture cannot but be supported by any person, regardless of political views and official position.
During the action works written by Maksim in prison were performed: a Belarusian poetess Sabina Brylo read his verses, and a Lithuanian actor and bard Giedrius Arbačiauskas performed a song with Maksim's lyrics translated into Lithuanian.
The action was held against the background of a poster demanding to stop the torture of Maksim Znak. After the action was over, it remained hanging on the facade of the house opposite the embassy with the image of Maksim looking at the representatives of the Belarusian state authorities responsible for torture, silently reminding them every second that they are obliged to stop torture not only for Maksim, but also for themselves, if there is anything human in them.
Artists’ solidarity
Together with the solidarity of the professional community, Belarusian musicians and other creative people came out in support of Maksim Znak with a demand to stop torture. Their video messages are posted on the Youtube channel of this public campaign
Join the campaign
The public campaign “Stop torturing Maksim Znak” was launched in December 2023. The goal is to achieve an end to the torture of Maksim Znak in a penal colony in Belarus. First of all, to stop keeping him incommunicado, which has been going on since February 2023. So that the authorities allow him access to a lawyer and restore the possibility of correspondence with his family. So that people can know what is happening to Maksim.
The lawyers who defended Maksim are deprived of the right to practice in Belarus. Appeals from Maksim's relatives are ignored by the authorities. In this case, the public cannot remain on the sidelines. People inside Belarus are deprived of the opportunity to speak out publicly, but people outside Belarus can do so freely.
We are sincerely grateful to everyone who supports the demands to stop the torture of Maksim Znak and addresses this to the authorities of Belarus. These demands are unconditional and legal. Every voice matters. The louder our common voice sounds, the more difficult it is for the authorities to ignore it.
Read about the campaign and how to support it at the following links in your preferred language: English, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, French, Russian.