The frontman of Hate To State and Chaliera died less than two years after a stint of political imprisonment

~ from Naša Niva ~

Viktar became interested in punk as a teenager, during the Soviet era. In the early 1990s, he went to Germany and lived there in a squat occupied by punks, participating in the local punk movement. After returning to Minsk, Mao brought not only impressions, but also knowledge about the punk scene in Europe.

Mao wanted to play a style called crust punk, which is usually rough and heavy music with radical social lyrics. In 1997, Viktar Žarkievič became the founder and lyricist of the Minsk punk band Hate To State, which performed alongside outstanding figures of Belarusian rock of that time.

The band existed until 2000, and they played the last concert together with the group Pravakacyja, in which [prominent fiction writer] Alhierd Bacharevič was the singer. After that, Viktar sporadically played in various bands and engaged in lesser-known projects. [He also worked for Navinki, a 1998-2003 satirical journal founded by members of anarchist group Čyrvony Žond – tr.]

Žarkievič was detained by Belarusian political police in September 2022. During the detention, Viktor was severely beaten. In addition, they broke a frying pan on his head and forced him to drag the fridge door, which had punk and anarchist stickers and magnets from different years, into the police station.

The man’s friends say that his health and morale were greatly undermined by 30 days in Akreścina detention centre. He complained of pain even after being released from prison.

Žarkievič was fired from his job at the construction site and, at least at first, was not hired for a new one due to political charges. Victor had trouble making ends meet and often complained to his friends about his health problems.

Viktar ‘Mao’ Žarkievič died on September 22, 2024 in his apartment in Minsk. According to acquaintances, his heart gave out.

A poem Mao would read at the start of every Hate To State gig, here taken from a 2013 reunion:

Dictatorship is foundation of fascism,
Stalin also loved dictatorship.
Let a moron walk under the flag of totalitarianism
With a hockey stick in hand.
The main enemy of liberty is the state.
It’s as simple as physical training:
Discipline is foundation of fascism,
Anarchy is the mother of order!