In 2020, Yan* was too young to take part in protests directly, but even then he was already asking questions: why are peaceful people being detained, where does state violence come from, and why is no one held accountable for it? Gradually, through contact with like-minded people, he began to feel himself part of the Belarusian resistance.
“At 16, I consciously chose a position against the dictatorship,” the young man says. “My worldview was shaped by history and by communicating with like-minded people. Yes, we do exist in Belarus: people who are against the Russian occupation and the fact that the Lukashenko regime cooperates with it.”
From inside Belarus, Yan runs a history-themed popular Telegram channel of a patriotic nature, shares information about political persecution, works on cybersecurity, and consults other activists on these matters.
“For six months, I was sending the ‘Hajun’ project the data I collected together with other people — mostly photos and videos,” the Belarusian says. “I also worked on organising digital protection for certain local initiatives in Belarus.”
The young man studies and works, but in light of the arrests of colleagues and participants in related initiatives in connection with the “Hajun” case, he is certain that they could come for him at any moment.
Now Yan is raising funds for evacuation: he needs to obtain a visa, leave for a safe country, and survive there for the first few months.
“The money is needed for critically important expenses: food, transportation, basic needs for the first two months in exile, and rent,” Yan emphasises. “Resisting the system inside the country means constantly living on alert. Now I understand that I need to leave in order to save myself from prison.”
The Belarusian is asking for support from everyone who understands how dangerous it is for opposition-minded activists to remain in the country. Helping him is not just a transfer of money — it is a contribution to saving his freedom and his life.
*This is an anonymous fundraiser. For security reasons, the hero’s name has been changed. The image was generated using AI.
Fundraising Goal
€2000
€350 – visa expenses and tickets
€1200 – rent in the new location
€450 – basic needs and food