February 26, Pozirk. Belarus’ censors have banned 16 more books from distribution in the country, including the postmodern satirical novel Лампа Мафусаила, или Крайняя битва чекистов с масонами (Methuselah’s Lamp) by Viktor Pelevin, according to the information ministry.
The ministry said that the books can harm Belarus’ national interests.
Other banned titles include Улыбка — пилигрим души (Smile is Soul’s Pilgrim), a collection of poems by Vladimir Khoroshko.
Books by John Boyne and Sergei Kuznetsov have been listed for the second time. The list contains a total of 241 entries, including popular works of literature and history.
Information Minister Marat Markaŭ defended state censorship last year, claiming that the opposition is engaging in “subversive activities” through literature and books.
Among the authors banned in Belarus are Saša Filipienka, Irvine Welsh, Hunter S. Thompson, Dr. Dorota Michaluk, Nana Ekvtimishvili and William Burroughs.
In 2023, the government amended the publishing law to empower the information ministry to blacklist books.
The ministry’s censorship body is called the National Commission on the Assessment of Symbols, Merchandise and Information Products.
