U.S. publishers association honors Belarus book publisher forced into exile

AP National Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A Belarus book publisher forced to operate out of Poland because of persecution from its own government is being honored by the trade association representing U.S. publishers. The Association of American Publishers announced Friday that it was awarding its International Freedom to Publish Award to Januškevič Publishing House. The award, given to a non-U.S. publisher who has “demonstrated courage and fortitude in defending freedom of expression,” has previously gone to publishers in Guatemala and Venezuela among other countries. Januškevič was founded in 2014 by Andrej Januškevič, who in 2022 was arrested and imprisoned for selling books in the Belarusian language.