• Sign the petition at www.zoneofsilence.org.

Belarus Free Theatre co-founder Natalia Koliada sent a message to protestors outside the Belarus Embassy in London on December 21, via Index on Censorship. The message read:

“We pass on our love to all the actors and artists who supported us on December 5 and human rights activists from Index on Censorship.  I made a speech in Independence Square in Minsk just 15 minutes before hundreds  of protesters were arrested.  I told the crowd about your amazing support and all the friends we had from the artistic community in the UK and US.

“You cannot imagine how much your support meant to the tens of thousands of Belarusians protesting in Minsk. It meant an amazing amount to people who wanted a free and fair election.  We appeal to all of you to carry on your support.

“Please ask all your friends, artists and actors to continue this campaign. Please make appeals in order to free those political prisoners who are now in jail and who were terribly beaten up and humiliated. The situation here is dreadful. People are arrested in the streets. Doors are smashed, and people dragged screaming from their apartments.

“To all of you who have supported us over the years, you need to call on your government to say clearly ‘this is a dictatorship’ and no longer play geopolitical games and pretending there is any liberalism in our country. You have all seen what is happening on your TV screens.

“Please get friends and colleagues to sign the petition. Please write to your MPs. Please put pressure on your government. We send all our love to you from across Belarus.”