Svetlana Alexievich expresses support for Georgian protesters: “Stand day and night—only then you will win”

Svetlana Alexievich, Belarusian Nobel laureate and renowned writer, has expressed solidarity with protesters in Georgia, drawing parallels to Belarus’s 2020 pro-democracy demonstrations.

In a message shared by Gvantsa Jobava, President of the World Publishers Association, Alexievich recounted the brutal repression faced during Belarus’s protests after the disputed presidential elections in August 2020, which declared Alexander Lukashenko the winner for a sixth term. The opposition claimed the election was rigged in favor of Lukashenko, with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the true winner.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I remember the protests in Belarus in 2020. Like you, we faced water cannons, flash grenades, and rubber bullets. Rubber bullets fired from 10 meters are as deadly as live ammunition,” Alexievich wrote.

She reflected on the devastating moment when Belarusian protesters dispersed, allowing security forces to encircle them with tanks. Recalling a tearful elderly man urging protesters to remain, she emphasized, “Stand day and night. Don’t leave. Only then will you win. When you are together, you are free.”

The Belarus protests were met with severe crackdowns, resulting in at least eight deaths, thousands of criminal cases, and hundreds of long-term imprisonments. Over 1,000 people remain political prisoners, according to rights groups.

Alexievich’s message comes amidst widespread demonstrations in Georgia, which began on November 28 after the ruling Georgian Dream party announced it would not pursue EU membership negotiations until at least the end of 2028. This decision, made shortly after the new parliament convened, has sparked significant opposition and led to the detention of hundreds of demonstrators.