Writing letters to political prisoners

Life in penal colonies is arbitrary and discriminatory, especially for political prisoners. Unlike regular prisoners, they are often denied basic rights, such as family visits and participation in religious ceremonies. They are subjected to unjust punishments, including solitary confinement and other forms of physical and psychological abuse. All of this is done with the sole aim of breaking them.

Therefore, letters from abroad are extremely important for political prisoners. Former prisoners often tell us that receiving letters shows both them and the regime that the outside world is standing in solidarity with them and has not forgotten them.

Unfortunately, mail does not always reach prisoners, as censorship and arbitrary decisions by prison guards are commonplace. Letters to political prisoners may be withheld to put pressure on or punish them. Nevertheless, it is important to write to them, because in most cases they find out indirectly that something has arrived. This knowledge can act as a psychological shield for political prisoners facing tough conditions in captivity.

You can congratulate political prisoners on their birthdays (birthdays can be filtered under Month of birth) or send them a letter or postcard even without a special occasion.

What to keep in mind when writing:

• The texts must be written in Russian or Belarusian. Feel free to use Google Translate or DeepL, or come along to one of our regular letter-writing workshops.
• Write about positive topics such as news, films, books, pets, your city, travel or everyday life. However, avoid making political statements or allusions, and refrain from using words such as ‘freedom‘ or ‘fight‘. You can, however, wish someone good health or strength.
• Let your creativity run wild — words aren’t always necessary! Why not try drawing something?
• Please feel free to send blank postcards as well, as this increases the likelihood that they will be handed out to political prisoners, allowing them to send holiday greetings to their loved ones.
• You can order pre-printed postcards to colour in yourself free of charge from our donation shop.
• You are not required to include your return address, but you may choose to do so.

You can find an overview of all political prisoners, along with background information and their current addresses, at our Belarusian partner organisation, Viasna.

The name and address of the political prisoner must be written in Russian or Belarusian, as shown in the example below. To find the Cyrillic spelling, display the prisoner’s description in Russian or Belarusian (top right, select RU or BE) and then scroll down.

Мария Колесникова (Surname & Name)
ИК №4 (Colony.)
ул. Антошкина, 3 (Street & Number)
246035, г. Гомель (City)
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS (in English)

We would be very grateful if you could send us a copy of your letter or postcard, which we can then pass on to relatives or prisoners after their release.

If you need any assistance, please feel free to attend one of our regular letter-writing workshops or contact us at schweiz@libereco.org.