The Terror Attack in Russia as a Symptom of a Complex Crisis and Perspectives on Coping

Memorial candles, picture by anncapictures@pixabay CC0-License

Last Saturday, a terrible terrorist attack took place in Russia. In the following article, we aim to elucidate some background: Why have Central Asians increasingly been involved in terrorist activities in recent years? What are the causes of Islamist radicalization? Why do some of the causes lie within Russia itself? And what can civil society do about it when politics fails to take adequate measures or none at all? And what do we as Austausch to fight against the causes of Islamist radicalization?

Interview with Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaya

As the war started in Ukraine in February 2022, Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorskaya left Belarus to join her family in Kyiv. While living there, she helps to build dialogue between the Belarusian diaspora and Ukrainians, which is vital due to the Lukashenka’s cooperation in Russia’s attack. Here Tatsiana is telling her story.

Interview with Iryna Kashtalian

As Lukashenka has been «rewriting» the true history of Belarus and «forbidding» horrors of soviet repressions for decades, in 2020 it became almost impossible for historians to continue their work inside the country. In the interview for FemMoz, Iryna Kashtalian shares the challenges of living in exile and how Belarusian specialists in history always have issues to explore.

Interview with Galina Kazimirouskaya

During hard times of the political crisis in Belarus 2020, Galina Kazimirouskayas creative work became a strong civil statement. And the regime of Lukashenka got scared of… songs, and Galina and her choir became victims of persecutions. Now she continues her artistic missions in exile in Poland, together with the «Free Choir» uniting Belarusians and reminding the importance on preserving one’s culture and cultural indentity, especially far from home. In this interview Galina reports on her experiences and her work.

Interview with Kseniya Halubovich

While leaving her homeland Belarus in February 2022, director and photographer Kseniya Halubovich knew that her departure was happening until democratic changes. More on her story in Kseniya’s interview for FemMoz.

Interview with Viktoryia Fiodarava

As an experienced human rights defender in Belarus, Viktoryia Fiodarava was behind the launch of the International Committee for Investigation of Torture in Belarus in August 2020. In her interview, Viktoryia shares her experience of political migration to Ukraine and then fleeing from the war in 2022, the challenges of building a new life in exile in Lithuania, and continuing her important work there for the democratic future of Belarus.

Interview with Sviatlana Ushchapouskaya

Sviatlana Ushchapouskaya has a big experience as a professional trade union representative, including with the independent trade union of miners in the largest Belarusian state company, Belaruskali. In her interview for FemMoz, Sviatlana shares her experience of standing up for basic rights of workers and how she had to flee Belarus because of her activism.

Interview with Darya Chultsova

Darya Chultsova, a journalist of the Belarusian free media outlet Belsat, became a symbol of resilience and dignity alongside her colleague Katsiaryna Andreyeva. In this video she shares her experiences of inhumane treatment and forced labor in Belarusian prisons, torture, lack of medical help – and how these terrors become a deep trauma for people.