Hello. I am a former political prisoner in Belarus. I have exhausted all my attempts and opportunities to start life anew after 4 years spent in prison.
During a protest in 2020, a line of security forces armed with batons passed by me. Together with other protesters, I stepped aside so that they could pass. Suddenly, people in black uniforms turned in our direction and began to selectively pull people out of the crowd. They pulled the hand of a woman who was standing next to me. I will never forget her eyes, full of horror. I pulled her back into the crowd with all my might, but at that moment I was hit with a baton. So hard that after the first blows I did not remember anything, but judging by the amount of my blood, which was everywhere, I was beaten for a long time.
I came to only in the hospital. Doctors recorded a head injury and hematomas all over my body. However, those who beat me were not punished either then or later. But a criminal case was opened against me for participating in mass riots, and a year later I was sentenced by the court to 4 years in prison.
I had to serve my sentence in one of the most terrible colonies in Belarus. In prison, I went through solitary confinement, cold torture, psychological pressure, threats, slave labor, and health problems. I had to endure all this because I was convicted under a political article. In addition to everything, I was given the status of an «extremist», because of which even more restrictions and persecution were applied to me than to ordinary political prisoners.
Despite the fact that I was released, my life can hardly be called freedom. Currently, I am under preventive supervision. Under constant police control and a strict daily schedule, I can only find small part-time jobs.
I have a dream of leaving Belarus to escape persecution, all-encompassing fear and need. I decided to get a driver's license here in order to be able to get a job abroad. But without your help I can't even scrape together a living wage here in Belarus.
I am writing this story with the hope of support from caring people. In prison I lost 4 years of my life, my health and all the property I had. I am asking you for support for a few months when it is really hard to make ends meet. I will be very grateful for any help, no matter what it is!
*This is an anonymous story. For security purposes, we have changed the hero's name. The image is generated using AI.
How much is needed?
€2460
€700 – accommodation for 3 months, household products, food
€650 – assistance from an employment agency, tickets, visa,
€520 – computer (without it, it’s hard for me to learn tickets at driving courses, look for a job, learn the language a little),
€410 – driving courses (in Belarus, in their own language, and the cost of the courses themselves is much cheaper),
€180 – old debt for a lawyer (I can’t even save up that kind of money to pay off the debt)