This is overview, how to support, help with letters or financially for political prisoners in Belarus and their families. Here are links to some greatest web services and guides how to write letters.
Services, websites for supporting political prisoners in Belarus
Dissidentby
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dissident.by
This is one of main webpages for efficient supporting of political prisoners.
It is also in english but translation does not often works – easier is to use some of your embedded translator in browser (like in Chrome).
- You can support families financially
- Prisoners support – great possibility to sort according to who received for example no or little letters (new prisoners etc) – and you can write them your letter and submit that the prisoner has now first letter notified on this portal. You can also become supporter, you can send money to prisoner directly to buy something in prison shop (stamps envelopes etc) or agree on newspaper subscription etc.
- There is list of regime victims
- You can support the project financially.
- You can join as organisation and submit you logo.
- Offers/requests
- And more…
Vjasna – Spring96
https://prisoners.spring96.org/ru
Most well known and comprehensive info regarding political prisoners, support of them, prisoners of Vjasna. Well known human rights organisation in Belarus.
On this web, apart from list of political prisoners, there is also guide how to write letters etc.
Letters in a cage – vkletochku.org
Great project for those who wants to write letter but does not want to go to post office. How it works? You write electronically, send and volunteers send it physically. You can support financially – to help them cover cost for stamps etc.
letter.white / pismo.bel
https://xn--h1aigbl0e.xn--90ais/
Facebook app, commercials – you can select some nice electronic postcards and send electronically (this service yet to be analysed)
How to write letters
What to write political prisoner?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/chto-napisat-v-i-44570008
https://www.patreon.com/posts/kak-napisat-oi-44841040
Guide from Vjasna / Spring97 – what to write political prisoners
https://spring96.org/ru/news/91832
What to start writing to political prisoners?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pismasolidarnosty/permalink/404902194237730/
Recommendations from mother of political prisoner
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pismasolidarnosty/posts/526964038698211/
Google translation: “Many do not know what and how to write to our political prisoners. I could talk about my experience, but my son Igor, who wrote about it in his letter, would say it better.
Firstly, it’s nice to receive postcards for any dates, then they form a whole set and it seems that the birthday is coming again :). A memorable form is a collective postcard on which people write a few words at random. Secondly, letters should be written when there is a desire to start a correspondence with this particular person. I would like to receive someone’s impressions of trips, places, etc. for example, excursion, hike, geographers of places, especially with photographs. I want to share such a letter, it is more likely to be answered. There must be an envelope. It is better to write a short targeted letter first, it can be in the form of a large postcard, in which to indicate interests, topics. It is clear that before sending a description of the Hermitage, it is worth finding out if the person knows what it is :). Photographs, printouts, historical references complement travel reports or interesting films well. I can say that regular correspondence is both an emotionally laborious task, and a great responsibility (over time, the number of addressees falls, a bad feeling) and a significant likelihood of final disappointment. After all, a prison is like a wine barrel: either the wine will not stand it and turn sour, or it will become nobler. It is better to print letters, so at least they will be preserved. You quickly get used to it, as well as self-censorship. An ordinary person does not face this in his entire life. This seems very strange. But over time, it changes us all.
On my own behalf, I want to add that it is better not to write about Belarusian politics and various negative things. Censorship about politics will not let through, and there is enough negativity already. In no case should you give up and stop writing. Firstly, letters can still be given to the addressee later, and secondly, you form public opinion and civic position. It is informal institutions that are the engines of history.
Various other Instructions:
About books
▪️List of books on Volodarka:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/spisok-knig-v-na-47403166
▪️ List of books on Volodarka:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pismasolidarnosty/posts/493039842090631/
▪️ How can a prisoner buy books?
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pismasolidarnosty/posts/540618093999472/
How to make transfers to the pre-trial detention center, parcels
▪️ Sending parcels to the pre-trial detention center
https://www.patreon.com/posts/otpravka-posylok-48628837
▪️So you can send parcels or not?
https://www.facebook.com/politzekme/posts/118108540201583
▪️ Experience in sending parcels to a pre-trial detention center
https://www.facebook.com/olga.kozubovskaya/posts/4997245566983447
▪️ More about parcels
https://www.facebook.com/politzekme/posts/156965032982600
About money transfers:
▪️ How to send a money order to a prisoner?
https://www.patreon.com/posts/kak-otpravit-51715945
▪️money transfers
https://www.facebook.com/politzekme/posts/143950897617347
▪️ about money transfers from Iryna Khalip
https://www.facebook.com/iryna.khalip/posts/3623612877745616
About colonies
▪️ Nice video from dissisetby featuring human rights activist Mikhail Zhemchuzhny.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dissident.by/posts/1101943180328188/
▪️ MY RELATIVE IS A POLITICAL PRISONER
“Legal Action Guide for Relatives of Political Prisoners in Belarus”
Advice from human rights activists.
https://politzek.me/tips-relatives