Before the protests, Aleksander worked in construction and cared for his grandmother with a disability, who died in the summer of 2020 from COVID-19. “With her passing, stability was gone – both in the country and in my life,” he says. “In July, I was arrested for the first time. Since then, I have been trying to forget a lot.”
The first arrest was on 14 July 2020, after participating in a peaceful rally near the circus. Aleksander was charged under Art. 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the procedure for organizing or holding mass events) and given 10 days. The second arrest was on 7 August: the same article, the same conditions. After his release, he was taken out of the city at night and soon arrested for the third time, and his detention was extended by another 10 days.
“Each time they took me to the outskirts. To the middle of nowhere. Without documents or communication. They said it was ‘re-education’,” Aleksander recalls.
Conditions in the temporary detention center were inhuman: a stuffy cell, filth, lack of sleep. During one of the stints, Aleksander suffered a hypertensive crisis. The detention center called an ambulance, and the detainee was hospitalized. After discharge, he signed a pledge not to participate in protests. Nevertheless, he continued to put up leaflets, attend meetings, and help others. Surveillance was set up on him, and law enforcers came to his family members. To avoid new arrests, he left Homiel and hid for a year.
Stress, insomnia, and anxiety – against the backdrop of constant danger, Aleksander’s condition worsened. He was prescribed a course of antidepressants. It soon became clear that staying in Belarus was impossible. In early 2022, he received a humanitarian visa and left for Poland, where he applied for international protection.
There he tried to adapt: he worked, volunteered, and helped other refugees. But after hearing about the severe illness of a loved one, Aleksander’s psycho-emotional state deteriorated again. His anxiety-depressive disorder worsened, and he needs hospitalisation. Now Aleksander is awaiting admission. He is seeing a doctor, receiving medication, and needs regular specialist support. Free help is available only after 10 months. Everything that can be done urgently is only for money. Aleksander cannot work, and the compensation from ZUS (Social Insurance Institution) is minimal and will be paid only after the sick leave is closed.
Aleksander lives in Poland with his common-law wife and foster daughter. In his current situation, he is unable to support his family, pay for treatment, rent, and is forced to ask for help from caring people.
“I found myself in a situation where I physically cannot work and have no support. I am at the edge where desperation begins, and so I ask for your help to survive this period and return to life. Your contribution will give me a chance to finish my treatment and get back on my feet,” Aleksander asks for help.
Fundraising Goal
€1500
€600 – rent for 2 months
€600 – treatment and psychological support
€300 – food and daily needs