One’s birthday is traditionally a day for celebration and time with family and friends. However, political prisoners in Belarus are still spending their birthdays in prison this year. We therefore call to write a postcard to all political prisoners who celebrate their birthday in January.

Especially the birthday of the political prisoners in Belarus is a difficult day this year. Instead of celebrating with friends and family, they continue to be unlawfully imprisoned. For this reason, we want to express our solidarity with the prisoners by sending them as many postcards as possible. The addresses of all prisoners are collected on the website of our partner organization Viasna. You’ll find the addresses of political prisoners who celebrate their birthday in January here:

Marfa Rabkova, Birthday: 6 January
Марфа Рабкова
СИЗО-1
ул. Володарского, 2
220030, г. Минск
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Tsimur Pipiya, Birthday: 16 January
Тимур Пипия
СИЗО-1
ул. Володарского, 2
220030, г. Минск
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Yana Arabeika, Birthday: 17 January
Яна Оробейко
СИЗО-1
ул. Володарского, 2
220030, г. Минск
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Aliaksei Samusenka, Birthday: 23 January
Алексей Самусенко
СИЗО-1
ул. Володарского, 2
220030, г. Минск
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Pavel Drozd, Birthday: 24 January
Павел Дрозд
Следственная тюрьма №8
ул. Советская, 22А
222163, г. Жодино
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Dzianis Kireshchanka, Birthday: 29 January
Денис Кирещенко
СИЗО-6
ул. Брестская, 258 В
225413, г. Барановичи
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

Raman Hvazdziolka, Birthday: 30 January
Роман Гвозделко
СИЗО-7
ул. Советских пограничников, 37
224030, г. Брест
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

What do I have to bear in mind when writing?

    • Please use the spelling of the address exactly as shown above.
    • The postcards have to be written in Russian or Belarusian, otherwise the postcard will not reach the prisoners.
    • Sending a postcard from Germany to Belarus costs 0.95 Euro, a letter 1.10 Euro.
    • Sending a postcard or a letter from Switzerland to Belarus costs 1.50 Franc in both cases.
    • To give the card a personal touch, write by hand if possible.

How can I participate in the campaign?

    • Anyone can send a postcard to Belarus. Take one that you already have at home or buy one, for example from your city. We keep getting feedback that this gesture is very important for the prisoners and gives them courage – even more on their birthday.
    • Put a picture with you and your postcard on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #WeStandBYyou. Take a selfie while writing the card or before you drop it in the mailbox. You can also send us the photo by email: media@libereco.org

My knowledge of Russian or Belarusian is limited? Don’t worry!

    • Online translation services like Google Translate or DeepL do a decent job, especially with simple and short sentences. It is not the grammar that counts, but the gesture!
    • You can be as creative as you like: You don’t have to use words, you can also draw something, for example.
    • Alternatively, you can use the following templates and just copy the message.
Belarusian: Пішу вам у сувязі з вашым днём народзінаў і хачу пажадаць вам здароўя, сілаў і веры ў лепшае. Няхай здзейсняцца вашыя пажаданні на наступны год. Хачу вас заверыць у тым, што людзі ўсяго свету захапляеюцца вашай мужнасцю і ангажаванасцю. Я хачу вам падзякаваць за тое, што вы сваім прыкладам паказваеце ўсяму свету, як можна змагацца за перамены.

Translation: I am writing to you on the occasion of your birthday to wish you health, strength and confidence. May your wishes for the next year of your life come true. I want you to know that people from all over the world admire your courage and dedication. Thank you for setting an example to the whole world of how to engage for change.