When will I be released?

The book of documentary prose "When I Am Released" describes the nine days that Anna Komar spent in prison in 2020. The story is revealed through the author's own diary entries and the stories of those who experienced police violence, arrest, and imprisonment at the same time, and the loved ones who supported them during those days.

You will probably recognize yourself in this book, even if you have not told the author your story. The book is full of support and solidarity, warmth and humor. "This book is a reminder of the best of us, brave and united by lofty ideas. We were like that - and we remain like that," writes G. Komar in the epilogue.

The book has an unusual design. Stories told by others are conveyed in the book with almost no punctuation, and in place of pauses there are long gaps that convey the peculiarities of speech, deep emotional experiences. Since the text is saturated with intense experiences, the design of the book creates a lot of air so that the reader feels free, to give a feeling of security and care.

The languages of the book are Belarusian and Russian (with rare English-language inserts), as it is not only a work of art, but also a document of its time.

Review by Timur Kudelich