While reportedly nearly 1,400 political prisoners, including 163 cultural figures, remain behind bars, the government stages cultural events whose prime purpose is to bolster the regime and its autocratic leader

The dissident Belarusian artist, who once dumped manure in front of Alexander Lukashenko's office, died in prison under "unclear circumstances"

A growing number of culture workers are being given long prison sentences on spurious charges

Artists among those being arrested and tortured for speaking up against President Aleksandr Lukashenko

Aleksandr Lukashenko regime continues to crackdown on Belarus’s contemporary arts community

Former chairman of Belgazprombank, which owns works by Chagall and Soutine, was arrested in June on charges of laundering $430m but many suspect it was politically motivated

Contemporary artists in the country are reacting to the crisis after allegations of election fraud and police brutality