Anna’s two sons were detained on the same day in October – for an entire day she didn’t know where her children were. Now both are in a remand centre, accused of taking part in the protests.
My name is Anna*, I am from Belarus, but I have been forced to live in Europe for more than six years. In exile, I have remained an active participant in rallies supporting Ukraine and actions for the freedom of Belarus.
Many people know me as an honest, responsible, and independent person. I have always been used to solving problems on my own, without asking anyone for help. But now I am in a situation where I cannot cope alone.
While I have been living in Europe, my family has remained in Belarus. A few weeks ago, my 19-year-old son was detained. Plainclothes officers took him away – without any explanation or documents. For a whole day, I didn’t know where he was. Even the police could not tell me where my child was.
Only later did I find out that he was in a remand centre, allegedly for “participation in and organisation of unauthorised mass events.” But my son never took part in any protests – he is just a young man who dreamed of life, education, and freedom. And now he is being held in a cell with criminal offenders.
And that was not the end of it: on the same day, in the centre of the city where my family lives, my older son was detained as well. Both of my sons are now in custody. When I found out, I simply broke down in tears, feeling powerless.
To help them and maintain contact, I hired a lawyer. But his services are expensive – and in my case, the cost is doubled. It’s very difficult for me to raise such an amount on my own. On top of that, they need prison care packages, which are also a significant expense. That is why I am forced to ask for your help.
It is not easy for me to ask, and writing these words is very hard. But I believe that kindness exists, and that someone will respond to my request.
*This is an anonymous story. For security purposes, we have changed the hero's name. The image is generated using AI.
Fundraising goal
€3800
€2800 – lawyer’s fee
€1000 – food and clothing care packages