The Association of American Publishers (AAP) has awarded Januškevič Publishing House, a Belarusian publisher that now operates from Poland, the 2024 AAP International Freedom to Publish Award. The award recognizes a publisher outside of the United States who has demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending freedom of expression.
Founded in 2014 Januškevič Publishing House publishes and sells fiction, non-fiction, and historical books in the Belarusian language, activities which have become heavily discouraged by the Belarusian government under Russian influence.
In 2022, founder Andrej Januškevič was arrested for selling books in Belarusian and imprisoned for 28 days, and later that year was forced to flee to Poland, where his publishing house continued to publish materials for the Belarusian market. In 2023 Belarusian authorities revoked Januškevič’s publishing license, a move that effectively blocked the house from selling or operating as a publishing house in Belarus.
But readers of Belarusian can now access books published by Januškevič as eBooks in Belarus or anywhere in the world, or by purchasing physical copies of the books in Poland.
“This year we recognize a publishing house of extraordinary persistence and courage,” commented Maria A. Pallante, President and CEO, Association of American Publishers. “The leaders of Januškevič Publishing House have braved censorship, suffered incarceration, and endured exile, all in service of their mission to provide readers with literature in the Belarusian language. Together, the Board, membership, and staff of the AAP applaud Januškevič for preserving and celebrating a language that has long been under attack, and for demonstrating why the freedom to publish is an essential element of democratic society.”
Andrej Januškevič, Januškevič Publishing House, said: “We are honored to accept AAP’s Freedom to Publish Award, and we are thankful for the acknowledgment of our work in Belarus and in exile. The Belarusian language illuminates our culture and heritage, and together with our friends and colleagues at other houses that have seen their licenses revoked – including Limaryus, Knihazbor, Haliyafy, Medysont and Zmicier Kolas – we vow to keep that light alive in hopes that it may serve as a beacon, giving comfort to citizens of our homeland, and hope to those who must live in exile.”
