I am a young guy who is in such a difficult situation for the first time in his life. I was recently sentenced to three years of “chemistry” for participating in the 2020 protests. I escaped my sentence and was left all alone in a new country, with no language skills and no means of livelihood.
In 2020, along with the Belarussian people, I actively expressed my civic position, for which I was detained three times and sentenced to pay fines. In 2021, I was convicted in a criminal case and served my time in prison, but my family was not left alone after my release.
My name is Jana and I am 26 years old. Since August 2020 I actively participated in peaceful actions, at one of which I was detained and arrested for 10 days. A year later officers of the Main Department for Combating Organized Crime burst into my house and detained me again for 10 days, after which they sentenced me under Article 342 part 1 to 3 years of “chemistry” and sent me to the Penal Enforcement Division.
Yuri Palyukhovich was detained twice and sentenced initially to three years of home “chemo” and then to three years of “chemo” with a referral to the JDF for insulting a police officer in 2020. Another criminal case was recently filed against Yuri.
My name is Ruslan Kostevich, I am 19 years old. Being a Belarusian soldier, I left the Ukrainian border to avoid taking part in the military conflict, for which I was prosecuted under the article on desertion. Now I am in Georgia and need help for the period of settling down.
Our sixteen-year-old son Nikita Zolotorev has been through all the circles of hell since the 2020 election. Torture and abuse continues to this day, and recently our son was convicted again. We, his parents, are in distress and have little to no help for him.
We, Natalia and Alexander, have tried to participate in all actions and protests since June 2020, for which we had to endure repression, detentions and political pressure. In order to stay free we decided to leave the country.
My name is Yana, I am 30 years old, I have three young children, Anya, Peter and Athena. My husband was detained and sentenced to one year in prison for a comment in a telegram chat room. With all the hardships I am left alone: rental housing, a mortgage on a home under construction, legal fees.
My name is Vitaliy and since February 16, 2022 my life and the life of my family have been turned to hell. During this time I went through Okrestino, Zhodino, the detention center on Volodarskogo, and recently held a trial under Article 369, in which I received a sentence, a fine and a lawsuit.