I had to leave Belarus because I was facing up to 17 years for active citizenship and refusing to cooperate with the investigating authorities. It all started when I was detained three (3) times under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences:
The first time I was detained during a march on Niamiha. In the back of the truck I felt sick and panicked, suffocating (I have epilepsy). No one came to help me. The police drew a report, but there was no trial — the time limit for criminal prosecution had expired;
The second time I was detained when during one of the marches I stood up for a detained girl. As a result I ended up back at the police station. I was there from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Then my phone and other valuables were confiscated. The court fined me 20 basic units;
The third time I and another girl were detained while collecting signatures in support of deputy Sviatlana Liubetskaya not to represent the voters of Staravilėnai constituency at the “All-Belarusian People's Assembly”. The police regarded it as an “unauthorized picket”. Once again I was fined 45 basic units.
I was also active in the courtyard and district chats. On the eve of Freedom Day I was summoned to the Frunzenski District Police Department and offered “cooperation”. If I give them the activists and they don't put me in jail for it. The police showed me a video from one of the marches and threatened me with a criminal case for taking part. I tricked then and said that I had to think about it. They let me go… But my husband and I immediately went into hiding. On the eve of the debate with Bugrov (which I was supposed to attend), the police came to our house and tried to serve a summons. The summons said that a criminal case had been opened for “mass disorder. We consulted with our relatives and decided to flee the country.
And unfortunately, the last epilepsy attack, which occurred on Saturday night, ended badly. A fracture of the right arm and fractures along the humerus. The doctor said that surgery and insertion of spokes was required. Since I am a citizen of Belarus, the surgery will cost me 803 euros. I don't have that kind of money, unfortunately. Because of the fracture and my being in the hospital, I had to cancel the interview and I am still without a job.
How much is needed?
803 euros — 487 euros — spokes (titanium ones, so that I can have an MRI in the future);
316 euros — surgery.