Academy Of Arts Vice-Rector, 60 More Employees Demand To Reinstate Expelled Students

An open letter from Belarusian State Academy of Arts staff has been published.

More than 60 employees of Academy of Arts, including Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Alena Bokhan, demanded to reinstate students expelled from the university. This is stated in their open letter, which is at the disposal of the editorial office of tut.by.

— We, teachers and personnel of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts, are calling to stop the harassment of students and staff who voice their civil position, reinstate the expelled children, and stop setting obstacles to peaceful gatherings.

We express our solidarity with the students, teachers, and employees of the belarusian State Academy of Arts, whose civil and political freedoms were violated.

We insist that the current political crisis in Belarus can be resolved only through the dialogue, in which broad circles of the Belarusian socirety should participate. This dialogue is impossible when the leadership of our country uses the means of violent persecution of citizens.

Now, as never before, we want our voices to be heard. That is why we consider it necessary to openly declare our opinion, and support our students. We have a right to this!”

Among the people who signed the letter are Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of Academy of Arts Alena Bokhan, Doctor of Art History Volha Labacheuskaya, famous Belarusian graphic artist Pavel Tatarnikau, and others.

In the evening of October 27, a photo of the order for the expulsion of three students of the Belarusian State Academy of Arts appeared on the Telegram channels. At least one of them - for participating in the action. Another two were officially reprimanded. The document came into force on October 26.

The text of the order says that Serafim Hanichau (3rd year), Aliaksandr Danilki (5th year) and Karyna Chakur (5th year) will be considered expelled from 10/26/2020. The basis is an explanatory note by the student himself or a memo of the head of the department of painting Uladzimir Maslennikau, as well as the minutes of the meeting of the Council for the Prevention a, of Offenses and Drunkenness # 9 dated 26.10. 2020.

The signatures of Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Alena Bokhan and Dean of the Faculty of Arts Hanna Konanava are missing under the order.

One of the expelled students (he asked not to be named) says it all started on October 26. Then he was summoned for a preventive conversation with the vice-rector Sviatlana Vinakurava:

“There were four people in her office: she, a lawyer of the academy, and some man and woman, probably from the administration. I answered, as it was: I took part in the action, yes.

After that, according to the student, vice-rector Vinakurava began to say that “politics is beyond art”:

- And, they say, if you want, go to a political university. After that, she said that I had a reprimand and this is the second reprimand. Although the first one was in the summer of 2019 and, in theory, it should be canceled. During this academic year I have had no reprimands. Or am I not aware of something? About 30 minutes ago I learned about my expulsion, - the student added. We talked on October 27, at 6.40 pm.

Important to note, on October 27 Lukashenka said: “Whoever went to an unauthorized rally in violation of the law, loses the right to be a student”.