Anna posted content supporting Ukraine on her social media pages. A man whose romantic advances she rejected angrily said he would report her to the police. Six months later, law enforcers came to Anna’s home…
My name is Anya, I’m from Baranavichy. Until recently, I had an ordinary life: attending university, studying to become an English teacher, and making plans for the future. After the war in Ukraine began, I started posting about it on social media — uploading stories, reposting news, and occasionally sharing my emotions. Simply because I couldn’t pretend nothing was happening.
At one point, I met a guy through a dating bot on VKontakte. I immediately said I was only looking for friendship, but he quickly started insisting on a relationship. I refused, we argued, and he wrote to me: “I’m going to report you for your pictures.” I didn’t take it seriously. But six months later, law enforcers came to my home. Someone really had reported me. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.
At the police department, they showed me screenshots of my stories and posts, confiscated my phone, and sent me to a temporary detention centre for 10 days. I was released, but some time later I was arrested again — this time in a criminal case based entirely on my social media stories.
I was charged under several articles of the Criminal Code at once:
– Article 130 — inciting social hatred,
– Article 368 — insulting the president,
– Article 369-1 — discrediting the Republic of Belarus,
– Article 370 — desecration of state symbols.
All of it was for memes, reposts, and posts about the war. One of the accusations concerned a story where I wrote that missiles had been launched at Ukraine from Belarusian territory. During the hearing, the judge declared that this was false and found me guilty of discrediting our country.
Later, while I was already in the correctional facility, I saw an interview in which Lukashenka calmly spoke to an American journalist about missiles launched from Belarusian territory. I was shocked. I had been convicted for words that were later effectively confirmed on television.
The “insulting the president” charge was based on memes featuring Lukashenka — fairly harmless ones. Even the investigating officer didn’t really understand what was supposedly insulting about them. But that didn’t stop the court.
The trial, by the way, was held behind closed doors, and my relatives were not allowed inside. Only my mother managed to attend, and only as a witness — just to see me. She refused to testify.
You know, until the very end I didn’t believe I would actually be sent to a correctional facility. I truly hoped for home confinement. But the sentence was different: two years in a correctional facility.
In December 2025, two days before my birthday, I was taken out of the correctional facility and then out of the country. That’s how I ended up in Ukraine, and later in Lithuania. Without an education, without a home, and without support.
But even after leaving, it didn’t end. Following an interview I gave to human rights defenders, another criminal case was opened against me in Belarus — this time for “facilitating extremist activity” (Article 361-4).
I now live in Vilnius together with my 19-year-old brother, who also had to flee Belarus after threats from law enforcers. But he is still waiting for documents and cannot work yet.
We are essentially starting our lives from scratch. I completed manicure courses and am trying to find work. Right now, all expenses for the two of us fall on me. But we cannot manage on our own, and we need help covering rent and food. I also need to buy materials for work. That’s why I’m asking for support.
Fundraising goal
€3000
€1500 – rent for several months
€500 – food and clothing
€500 – household expenses
€500 – materials and equipment for work as a nail technician