My name is Daniil Chul, I am from Brest. My story is the story of a person who believed it was possible to live with a clear conscience – and paid too high a price for it. I joined rallies in 2017 (against the “social parasite decree”), in 2018 in my hometown Brest (against the construction of an accumulator plant). And in 2020, when the whole country took to the streets, I became an active participant in marches and protests. Back then, it was clearer than ever: if we did not support each other, they would break us one by one. And we held on together, believing in a better future.
And then it was my turn. In March 2021 I was arrested by the anti-extremism unit. Later it turned out I was taken together with my future comrades in misfortune: I was one of the defendants in the anarchists’ case (the same case that sentenced the human rights defender Marfa Rabkova). The investigation lasted one and a half years and finally they “found” my participation in an “organized criminal group” and in mass events.
I did not plead guilty, but that changed nothing. In September 2022 I was sentenced to five years in a high-security correctional facility. The Supreme Court only confirmed this verdict. I was sent to serve my prison term in Correctional Facility No. 15 in Mahiliou. Thus, five years of my life were stolen from me.
I was released on 1 March 2025, but freedom turned out to be an illusion. I was immediately placed under preventive supervision for two years and banned from leaving the country. Since 2023 I have also been on the “extremists” list. This meant I could not get a job or rent an apartment: nobody wants trouble. I realized living under such conditions is not life, but slow destruction.
To make things worse, a month after my release I was summoned by the anti-extremism unit for a “friendly chat”. They promised “an hour and a half” but instead I spent five there. They put psychological pressure on me, demanded information I did not have. They threatened me with new days in a temporary detention facility, a new criminal case if I did not “cooperate”.
At that moment it became absolutely clear: staying would mean losing my freedom or my life again. I made the hardest decision to flee. Now I am safe (huge thanks to the BYSOL Foundation – without their help this escape would have been impossible) but this is only the first step.
I am now in Poland, living in a shelter. I have recently applied for international protection. I am actively looking for a job, but while my application is being processed, I cannot be officially employed. Prison does not leave without consequences: my physical and mental health have suffered. I want to find a roof over my head, see a psychologist, and adjust to this new reality. After so many years of detention I literally have to learn to live again in a world where you can breathe freely, without looking over your shoulder or searching for a trap.
Please help me get through this critical moment. Any support – whether a financial contribution or simply sharing my appeal – gives me hope and strength to keep fighting. Thank you for not staying indifferent.
Fundraising Goal
€2200
€1200 – rent and utilities for the first three to four months;
€600 – daily needs and food;
€200 – paperwork and legal assistance for legalization;
€200 – psychological support.