When will I be released?

"When I Get Out" is a documentary book about the experience of imprisonment in Belarus in 2020, told through diaries and live testimonies of people.

The documentary prose book "When I Get Out" describes the nine days Hanna Komar spent in prison in 2020. The story unfolds through the diary entries of the author herself and the accounts of those who experienced police violence, arrest, and imprisonment at the same time, and loved ones who supported them during those days.

In this book, you will likely recognize yourself, even if you haven't shared your story with the author. The book offers much support and solidarity; it is filled with warmth and humor. "This book is a reminder of the best of us, courageous and united by high ideals. We were like that – and we remain so," writes H. Komar in the epilogue.

The book has an unusual design. The stories told by others are rendered in the book almost without punctuation, and in place of pauses are long spaces that convey speech peculiarities and deep emotional experiences. Since the text is saturated with intense emotions, the book's design creates a lot of "air" so that the reader feels free, to give a sense of safety and care.

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

Review by Timur Kudzelich