Andrei Osmolovsky was unable to remain in exile for long. He returned to Belarus in 2022 – and was sent to prison. Now, he is rebuilding his life for the second time and hopes for your support.
Former political prisoner and civic activist Andrei Osmolovsky became involved in politics back in 1994 and has taken part in many important political events since then. He also actively participated in the 2020 protests. After being arrested twice and facing politically motivated criminal charges under Article 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, he left for Poland at the end of 2020.
“My longing for home turned out to be stronger than my fear. I came back. Because there was insufficient evidence, my case had initially been suspended. But in 2022, the authorities brought forward a new episode, and it cost me three years of my life. I lost my family, my property, and my business. During that time, my closest friend and business partner, Stas, also passed away.”
After my release, the persecution did not end. I was summoned for questioning by the prosecutor's office in connection with another politically motivated case and placed under preventive supervision, with constant inspections and monitoring.
In 2025, I was forced to leave Belarus for good.
I am now temporarily living in a country in the Caucasus. Here, I have finally been able to receive the medical treatment and undergo the surgery that I was repeatedly denied while in prison. I am also receiving psychological rehabilitation.
Now I have to build my life from scratch once again. To gain a profession that will allow me to support myself, I am studying online to become an AI engineer at an IT school. The course is intensive – five days a week, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. – and requires my full commitment.
To survive financially, I work night shifts in a store, leaving me only three or four hours of sleep each day. The tuition is expensive. An educational grant covers only part of the cost, and I still need to pay for the remaining two months.
Financial support would allow me to reduce my exhausting workload, protect my health, and focus on completing my studies.
Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my story and support me.
Long live Belarus!
Fundraising goal
€2700
€1200 – rent for three months
€1000 – remaining tuition fees
€500 – essential living expenses