We were detained with friends on 29.09.2020 near an employee's car, which we had damaged. The officers of GUBOPIK and SOBR were already waiting at the place, because our chat room, where we were chatting, had already been penetrated by the authorities, drawing information.
During the arrest we were beaten up and two people ended up in hospital. They broke my fingers and ribs, severely injured my left hand with a truncheon, they tasered me all the time, shot me and put two bullets (apparently rubber ones) in my chest and right arm. I was in jail for seven months in Volodarka and Zhodino; they sentenced me to two years and one month, which I served in IK-22. At first I was severely beaten and never had any peace. I spent a lot of time in solitary confinement; they would not give me less than 10 days. I worked 15 hours in the canteen. After a while they cut me off, because a lot of new political prisoners arrived. I was released on 30.07.2022.
After release, together with my wife and daughter we urgently left Belarus, because the pressure did not end even when I was free. I was not registered after the colony as prone to “extremism”, and my wife, who was in close contact with the wife of a political prisoner, began calling hidden numbers, trying to get into the apartment under dubious pretexts, when she was alone with a child. Choosing security, we urgently left for Bialystok, taking only the bare necessities with us.
We are now in the process of adapting and finding a job in the new country. We will be very grateful for everyone's solidarity and support.
How much is needed?
550€ — payment for the rented apartment.