When I’m Out of Here: Staying Human in a Dictator’s Jail by Hanna Komar

During the 2020 Belarusian uprising, a young poet is imprisoned for peaceful protest along with thousands of other ordinary people. Inside the crowded cells, she encounters people from every walk of life — teachers, grandmothers, students — each with their own story of resistance. This book interweaves her story and theirs into a powerful portrait of courage under repression.

At once a literary prison memoir, a chorus of women’s voices, and a testimony to the role of art under dictatorship, the book speaks to readers interested in freedom, solidarity, and the power of language.

What once seemed unthinkable is now reality: the erosion of civil liberties, the normalisation of detention, and the quiet expansion of state power. This book speaks to our time, finding hope behind bars and the human will to unite in the darkest moments.

Hanna Komar is a Belarusian poet detained during the 2020 protests. After release, she recorded stories of those she met in prison. Her work explores the intersection of personal and political trauma, highlighting resilience and solidarity in face of oppression.

Translators: Hanna Komar, John Farndon. Language: English, translated from Belarusian and Russian