Once again regarding Galina Rymbu's accusations against Denis Beznosov.
Mikhail Shishkin
The genocide of the Ukrainian people and the deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories of Ukraine is a heinous crime. All persons involved in this crime must certainly be identified and punished according to the law. The investigation is being carried out by the Ukrainian Government authorities and the International Criminal Court in The Hague. In the near future, the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine will also deal with this issue.
To what extent Denis Beznosov participated in these crimes (and whether he did) should be investigated by these competent authorities, not by the literary prize. The task of the Dar literary prize is to promote the finalists' books in every possible way, to attract the attention of social networks, press, translators, and publishers all over the world. And Dar successfully coped with its task in the first season. The books of the finalists have received and continue to receive a lot of attention in foreign media. The interest in the prize has been enormous, and we are already receiving a large number of applications for the next season. The accusations against one of the finalists were made only after the award season was already over, although the names of the shortlisted entrants had long been announced on the award's website. No one made any accusations against Denis Beznosov for several months while the award was running.
Litpremia is not an investigative committee and proceeds from the presumption of innocence. If the Ukrainian state authorities investigating the crimes of the Russian Federation against Ukraine confirm in their official conclusion the accusations against Denis Beznosov, the Literary Prize will certainly take all measures in its power. People involved in crimes against humanity, in the deportation of Ukrainian children from the occupied territories, in the genocide of the Ukrainian people have no place near the Literary Prize “Dar”.
What Are the Objectives of the Award?
The primary goal of the Award is to support authors and promote Russian-language literature worldwide. We welcome all who write and read in Russian, regardless of citizenship or place of residence. We aim to foster a Russian-language culture free from political and imperial influences.
How Is the Award Process Conducted?
The Award is given annually. The jury votes, with each member selecting between one and three works. The winner is the author whose work receives the most votes. Additionally, a reader’s vote (Crowdfunding) is conducted on the Award’s website, where readers can vote for authors and support them financially.
What Awards Are Provided?
The winner of the Award receives a grant to translate the work into English, French and German. Also, as part of the reader's vote, all collected funds are transferred to the authors for whom the readers voted.
When Does the Submission Period for the Competition Start and End?
Прием заявок на конкурс второго сезона премии начнется 1 сентября 2025-го и закончится 15-го октября 2025 года.
When will the list of finalists and winners be announced?
В январе 2026 года Совет Экспертов объявит список финалистов. Читательское голосование начинается в тот же месяц. В феврале-апреле члены жюри читают книги-финалисты, а победителей Премии и читательского голосования объявят в мае 2026 года.
What are the conditions for the nomination of a book for the award
В конкурсе второго сезона могут принимать участия произведения, изданные в 2024-м году. Произведения (роман, повесть, сборники рассказов и эссе, документальная проза), вышедшие отдельными изданиями или опубликованные в журналах. Номинировать на премию имеют право как издательства и редакции журналов, так и сами писатели или третьи лица (с согласия и письменного подтверждения автора). Тексты подаются к рассмотрению в электронном виде. Премия «Дар» открыта для всех авторов. Учитывая главные цели премии: продвижение современной русскоязычной литературы за пределами РФ и характер самого вознаграждение (грант на перевод) - приоритет будет отдаваться авторам, чьи произведения ранее не переводились на английский, французский и немецкий языки.
