Final Decision On The Situation With The Accusations Against Andrey Strizhak In Harassment

The Internal Case Review Committee assessed the situation. The issues requiring the commission's decision were: A. Strizhak's cooperation with the BYSOL Foundation and changes to the BYSOL Foundation's organizational processes. 

In the course of its work, based on the provisions of the previously published regulations, the commission recorded 12 cases in two categories (some cases fall into both categories). 

Of these:

— 7 were in the category of “sending unwanted messages,” 5 of which were related to BYSOL beneficiaries.

— 7 were in the category of abuse of office, 4 of which were related to BYSOL beneficiaries.

Methods of case verification: verification through a trusted person (Nasta Bazar — human rights activist, feminist), through the media (Euroradio), personal conversations with victims (8), personal conversations with witnesses (5), coincidence of facts in the stories of different people (2), correspondence (1). The commission assesses the identified cases as systematic.

The committee's decision regarding A. Strizhak's cooperation with the BYSOL Foundation: complete termination of cooperation, with removal from leadership, representative, managerial, and founding functions in the A. Strizhak Foundation.

The committee's decision regarding changes to the organizational processes of the BYSOL Foundation: to continue working with independent external experts on changes to organizational processes and to implement the recommendations.

After the announcement of the committee's findings, the Founder provided the Foundation team with feedback on the committee's decision, stating his own position that he did not accept the committee's decision and considered it unfair, excessive, and disproportionate in both substance and procedure. Given the advisory nature of the Committee's decision in accordance with its Regulations, the founder additionally initiated an internal team vote, which showed that two-thirds of the team were in favor of continuing cooperation with A. Strizhak, provided that he was removed from management and representative functions and the founding rights of the Foundation were transferred. After that, the Foundation's Directorate, taking into account all the circumstances, made its decision:

DECISION OF THE DIRECTORATE dated 19.09.2025

Taking into account the recommendations of the Internal Case Review Committee;

considering the results of the team vote and respecting different opinions;

noting Andrey Strizhak's lack of awareness and understanding of the depth of the negative consequences of the situation;

assessing the internal and external risks to the organisation's sustainability,

the Directorate decides on the possibility of continuing cooperation with Andrey Strizhak, subject to the following conditions:

1. Introduction of a temporary cooperation format for a period of 3 months: from September 19 to December 19, 2025.

2. Complete removal of Andrius Strizhak from any managerial, representative, and founding functions in the three legal entities BYSOL (Lithuanian Labdaros ir paramos fondas BYSOL, Polish BYSOL PL FOUNDATION, American BYSOL USA International Foundation) — both formally in the legal field and informally within the organization. Compliance with this condition is the responsibility of the entire team, with oversight by the Directorate. 

3. The founding of the three legal entities is transferred to Vitalius Motkus and Anna Dapshevichute, and the transfer process must be initiated by Andrius Strizhak by September 25, 2025.

4. Andrei Strizhak's updated tasks and job responsibilities must be formulated jointly with the Directorate and presented to the team by October 2, 2025. 

5. At the end of the temporary period, the Directorate will evaluate the effectiveness of the cooperation and decide on its possible continuation.

6. In case of non-compliance with any of the points of this decision, the Directorate will be forced to declare the complete impossibility of further cooperation between BYSOL and Andrey Strizhak.

7. The decision shall take effect from the moment it is announced, i.e. immediately.

We ask Andrius Strizhak to express his agreement/disagreement with this decision during a team call at 16:00 Vilnius time/15:00 Warsaw time on September 19, 2025.

The decision of the Board was not accepted by the founder of the Foundation, Andriy Stryzhak, and the response was the following decision:

DECISION OF THE FOUNDER OF THE BYSOL FOUNDATION dated 19.09.2025

Taking into account the recommendations of the Internal Case Review Committee;

considering the results of the team vote and respecting different opinions;

assessing the internal and external risks to the organisation's sustainability, taking into account the Directorate's decision on the possibility of continuing cooperation;

prioritising the interests of the beneficiaries and the team, given its importance in decision-making and management of the Foundation;

recognising the importance of maintaining peace, mutual trust and goodwill within the Team.

DECIDES WITH REGARD TO ANDREY STRIZHAK

To introduce a temporary format of cooperation for a period of 6 months: from September 19, 2025, to March 19, 2026.

To formulate tasks and job responsibilities as follows:

— Division leaders and the Directorate shall describe actual involvement in the work, and based on this, a list of job responsibilities shall be formed: deadline September 26, 2025.

To change the job title in employment documents from information specialist to consultant.

Remove from any managerial, representative, and founding functions in the three legal entities BYSOL (Lithuanian Labdaros ir paramos fondas BYSOL, Polish BYSOL PL FOUNDATION, American BYSOL USA International Foundation) — both formally in the legal field and informally within the organization. Compliance with this condition is the responsibility of the entire team. All public statements and interactions with the Foundation's products are made as a person not representing the organization. No statement or interaction of the specified person in the public sphere is the official position of the Foundation.

Transfer the founding of three legal entities to Vitalius Motskus; the transfer process will be initiated by September 25, 2025. The full transfer of the founding will take place after the management reform* in the organization and amendments to the Charter, but no later than December 19, 2025.

The decision shall take effect from the moment it is brought to the attention of the entire Team. A working group consisting of representatives of the Directorate, the Founder, and the communications group shall be created to develop a joint public communiqué on the results of the work carried out. The final communiqué shall be published no later than September 21, 2025.

During further discussions, the following decision by the Directorate became a compromise in the situation:

DIRECTORATE DECISION #2 of 09.19.2025

Taking into account the recommendations of the Internal Case Review Committee;

considering the results of the team vote and respecting different opinions;

assessing the internal and external risks to the organization's sustainability;

prioritizing the interests of the beneficiaries and the team, given its importance in decision-making and management of the Fund;

recognizing the importance of maintaining peace, mutual trust, and goodwill within the Team.

A TEMPORARY COOPERATION FORMAT WITH A. STRIZHAK is introduced for a period of 6 months: from September 19, 2025, to March 19, 2026. A. Strizhak is removed from any managerial, representative, and founding functions at BYSOL — both formally in the legal field and informally within the organization. Compliance with this condition is the responsibility of the entire team.

An updated list of A. Strizhak's job responsibilities will be formed by September 25, 2025.

All public statements and interactions with the Fund's products will be made by A. Strizhak as a person who does not officially represent the organization. No statement or interaction by this person in the public sphere is the official position of the Fund.

The founding of BYSOL is transferred to Director Vitalius Motskus, and the transfer process will be initiated by September 25, 2025.

At the end of the temporary period, the Board of Directors will evaluate the effectiveness of the collaboration and decide on the possibility and format of continuing the work.

The organization is entering a period of structural systemic changes and internal reform to ensure greater sustainability and strengthen its organizational structure.

Thus, the Foundation continues its work, adapting to changes. As of September 23, 2025, three people have left the Foundation's team.