Assange present the film Europe’s Last Dictator

Free Belarus Now and Guerilla Pictures present the film Europe’s Last Dictator.

It is a documentary film by Mathew Charles and Juan Passarelli, narrated by Joanna Lumley.

Premiere screening introduced by Joanna Lumley with Q&A hosted by Julian Assange on Thursday 1st March, 6.30pm (Doors at 5.30) at The Old Vic Tunnels, Station Approach Road, SE1. Tickets are £11 and are available from www.oldvictunnels.com.

Europe’s Last Dictator is a new film from Guerrilla Pictures. Filmed over the past year, it exposes torture, state-sponsored murder and kidnap inside the Belarus of President Aleksandr Lukashenko. From the perspective of Irina Bogdanova, an acupuncturist from southern England, and sister of imprisoned presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov, the documentary charts the violent crackdown on the country’s opposition following the rigged election of 2010. This is Irina’s story. It is a personal and emotional journey. But it is no longer just about her brother. Now she’s doing everything she can to bring down Europe’s Last Dictator. Much of the documentary has been filmed undercover. It paints a picture of Lukashenko’s disturbed character and offers a rare glimpse inside one of the world’s most under-reported places.

Narrator, actress and activist Joanna Lumley explains why she added her name to the cause of the film, ”Like many people in the UK I had no idea of the oppressive nature of the present administration of Belarus until I was invited to join in a protest about the detention and disappearance of one of that country’s many political prisoners, Andrei Sannikov. As I learned more about the cruel and inhumane treatment of dissidents in a place so close to the UK, only just outside the EU boundaries, I felt compelled to do what I could to help publicise the chilling facts of deaths and torture going on at this very minute. The more the outside world knows of these sinister secrets of Belarus, the greater the chance is of these innocent people being released. Belarus is in the unfortunate geographical location of lying like a buffer between Russia and Poland; there is always reluctance, even by sympathetic governments, to tread on sensitive areas, so ordinary people must take up the shout of protest made so bravely by so many Belarusians.”