Hi! My name is Dmitry Shuvalov. I am a former political prisoner, and a father of two wonderful children. In 2020, I supported the protests against the falsification of the presidential elections and participated in peaceful marches. By a stroke of luck, I was not detained then.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, I was very worried. I watched the news about what was happening, even though Telegram channels were declared extremist in Belarus. I supported Ukraine, openly expressed my opinion about the war, and tried to persuade those around me. I lived near the airfield in Baranovichi and noticed a huge amount of Russian aircraft there before the invasion. I wrote about it in the NEXTA chatbot. After the start of the full-scale war, I also sent photos and videos of equipment at the airfield.
In June 2022, I was detained for my activity in 2020. Having gained access to my phone, they found not only confirmation of my participation in the marches but also correspondence in the NEXTA chatbot. I was accused of “aiding extremist activities” and sentenced to 2.5 years in a penal colony.
In prison, I developed health problems, with pain in my hip joint. There was no examination, let alone treatment. Only after my release did I get an X-ray, and it turned out I had hip dysplasia.
At home, I left behind my wife and two children. She was on maternity leave with our daughter, and there was a catastrophic lack of funds, so we had to ask for help in the form of groceries from INeedHelpBy. She was dragged to interrogations and threatened. My son also worried much, missed me, and constantly remembered me. He started first grade without me and told me his classmates didn't believe he had a father.
When I was released, the pressure on us did not stop. Three weeks later, I was detained again and sentenced to 15 days for “extremism.” After that, we finally decided to leave. It became clear that we would not be allowed to live in peace; every day was filled with stress and fear. We were afraid of every phone call, every passing car, and weren't able to trust anyone.
A few weeks ago, we all left Belarus together. We took two suitcases of essentials (mostly children's clothes, medicine, and a few of our things) and left. We travelled to Lithuania through several countries, with transfers, and ended up in Vilnius (thanks to the BYSOL evacuation team). All this time, my older son thought we were going on a trip. But when we explained everything to him, he cried because he wouldn't see his great-grandfather, friends, or grandmother anymore. My younger daughter doesn't understand what's happening; she's three years old.
Currently, we are living in a shelter, looking for an apartment, and figuring out what to do next. We want to find housing, and jobs, enroll our children in kindergarten and school, and establish our future lives. Your help will greatly assist us in getting back on our feet in a new country.
Thank you!
How much is needed?
€5000
€2000 – Rent for an apartment for three months,
€1000 – Purchase of clothing for the whole family and school supplies,
€1000 – Groceries and household expenses for three months,
€1000 – Medical expenses for the whole family (my wife has developed hearing problems due to stress, and the children are often sick).