Maria, a volunteer with the Gomel branch of the Viasna Human Rights Center, was detained late in the evening of January 18, 2021, and placed in a temporary detention facility as part of a criminal case opened under the article "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order, or active participation in them." Her home was also searched. Maria had previously actively advocated for the repeal of the so-called "parasite" decree and sued district officials in the Gomel region who had banned protests against the decree.
She was released three days later on her own recognizance. Maria's trial began on September 3, 2021, and on October 13, prosecutors requested a prison sentence of two and a half years. Maria was subsequently forced to leave Belarus, and her case was separated into separate proceedings.
How to write a letter
✏️ A postcard with words of encouragement (a poem by your favorite author, song lyrics, or a beautiful quote). Trust us, even such simple gestures are very meaningful to a person in jail.
✏️ Your life events. To a person who is in isolation for a long time, any story about your routine endeavors will be a window into normal life. Your day-to-day worries and mundane matters are much more interesting than the daily grind of life behind bars.
✏️ It is important to share news. Mention the most notable and interesting occurrences depending on your pen-pal's interests.
✍️️ Remember that every letter is censored. This means that your letters are read by strangers whose main goal is to limit inmates' access to information or to use it against the prisoners or even you.
So try to avoid:
👉️️ harsh statements regarding ongoing political matters
👉 statements against the authorities and public servants
👉 foul language
👉 discussion of the circumstances of the criminal case
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Please attach a photo or a screenshot for transfer verification. The new transfer will be posted on the site as soon as it is verified by the moderator!
Support actions
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Respond to help those released
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A Keeper means you want to regularly help a specific person in prison through their family. Choose a political prisoner and click «Become a Keeper», our team will contact you shortly.
You can request the letters that we have in storage, for this, leave your telegram account for feedback, we will contact you and, after verifying your identity, we will transfer the archive with your letters.
Are you a relative or someone close to a political prisoner? Send us a short description and your Telegram contact for feedback. After data verification we will publish your relative on the website.
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Please leave your contact on Telegram and describe your skills in as much detail as possible. After moderation, your CV will be published on the website.
Multi upload allows you to send confirmations with one photo to several political prisoners at once, check the selected people before sending!
Please attach a photo or a screenshot for transfer verification. The new transfer will be posted on the site as soon as it is verified by the moderator!
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Correct translation
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