Belarus: The Consequences of Choosing Freedom

I’m sure we have all sat and watched TV news over the years and seen images of foreign streets crowded with protestors, often waving flags, shouting slogans we can’t understand, but clearly making a stand for what they believe in.

It is rare that we see those shouting faces and flag-wavers again on our screens. Maybe we’ll hear a bit about the leaders, maybe a brief interview with a brave protestor before a water cannon douses the street they were standing in. But what happens to them? Do they go back to their normal lives the day after? How is that flag-waver now, years after her short cameo on world news?

In autumn 2020 our TV screens showed plenty of these protestors in Belarus as the country rose up as never before against the rule of Alexander Lukashenko. Here are the stories of some of the flag-wavers and slogan shouters we saw on our screens. Even now, the repressions continue so avoiding people’s identifiability is prioritised. Names have been made up, and some details adjusted, but be assured that all of the experiences accounted are real.

Mikalai: Separated from his family

Because Mikalai stood with a white-red-white protest flag in 2020 and posted a photo on social media he was arrested two years later as the security forces trawled the internet to find evidence of people protesting in the past. Because of that photo he spent months in prison awaiting trial. Because he was sentenced to years of home-arrest, Mikalai fled Belarus and moved to Poland. Because Mikalai continued to hate the regime he continued in protest activities, but knew this could endanger his brother and parents who were back in Belarus. Because Mikalai stood with a white-red-white protest flag, Mikalai may never see his family again, so suffers from depression and panic attacks.

Svetlana and Ales: Fear of losing their children

Because husband and wife Svetlana and Ales went on a protest march through Minsk they were arrested. They were both held for 30 days while their own parents managed to take the children and look after them. Because both Svetlana and Ales were arrested they knew that when they got out, the authorities might take their children away from them, deciding they were unfit parents. Because Svetlana and Ales couldn’t dare to lose their children they fled to Lithuania for safety. Because Svetlana and Ales went on a protest march through Minsk their children are growing up without knowing their grandparents. Because Svetlana and Ales went on a protest march through Minsk their own parents rely on their neighbours now to care for them. Because Svetlana and Ales went on a protest march through Minsk their own parents hate their children for abandoning them and taking their grandchildren away from them.

Sasha: No job, no bank account

Because Sasha cared for his neighbours and friends, he administered a chat group to keep in touch and help any who had been arrested or needed medical help. Because Sasha posted on social media a comment against the police brutality he was arrested. Because one of Sasha’s neighbours was also arrested the police searched his phone and found that Sasha was the group admin. Because Sasha was seen as an organiser he was sentenced to three years in prison and classified as an “extremist”. Because he was an extremist, when Sasha was released, the police visit him randomly every week, Sasha can’t get a job and Sasha can’t hold a bank account. Because Sasha administered a chat group to help others, he now relies on his neighbours to get by and help support his children. Because Sasha administered a chat group to help others he is an ”extremist”, so he can’t leave Belarus and escape this hell his life has become.

The regime’s malevolence is limitless.

Sadly, since 2020, Belarusians like Mikalai, Svetlana, Ales and Sasha count in the thousands and thousands. The state’s brutal violence caused the tragic deaths of protestors in the streets and prisons, plus thousands of cases torture, physical and sexual abuse in security facilities. These are the things we may hear about on the news, but the Lukashenko regime’s inhumanity has also led to countless cases of broken families, depression, trauma, isolation, PTSD, unemployment and alcoholism. No-one really knows the number of Belarusians who have fled their country since 2020, but estimates are between 500,000 and 800,000. That’s hundreds of thousands of families ripped apart, friendships severed and new lives to be built in a foreign country with a different language, as people struggle to be given a legal status.

Lukashenko regime’s malevolent attention and displeasure is limitless, and doesn’t limit itself to even just Belarus. Belarusians abroad also need to be intimidated.

Vital: Under surveillance

Because Vital had friends who were protesting, and then some who were arrested and imprisoned, he chose to get involved in some protests in his own country. Vital left Belarus almost 20 years ago, but was still connected to his homeland and was appalled to see the same images on TV as his friends and work colleagues. But, Vital knew these streets, understood the chanting and banners, loved the country he saw being ripped apart, and knew some of the faces in the crowd. Because Vital had friends who were protesting, he joined some street protests in his own country and shared photos on social media so his friends could see his solidarity. Because Vital was at a protest and sharing on social media he was interviewed in 2021 by a local journalist about his thoughts on what was going on and what effect the regime’s hijacking of the RyanAir flight would have. After Vital visited his Embassy to get some paperwork done he opened the pile of papers he got back from the official. Slipped into the pile of papers was a photograph of Vital at a protest a few months earlier – just to let Vital know that the Embassy knew the kinds of political stuff he was up to. Because Vital was intimidated by the Embassy, Vital doesn’t get involved in any protest activities any more.

In September 2023 Belarus chose to limit the capabilities of its own Embassies so they won’t do things like issue passports or register babies. Passports will now only be issued to Belarusian citizens within Belarus. For thousands of Belarusians returning will mean arrest. So, with one Decree the regime has created a painful headache for the troublesome flag-wavers and slogan shouters. What does one do in a few years’ time, living as refugee in a country that’s not your own, with an expired passport? How do you prove your identity? How do you travel?

Alena: Undocumented

Because Alena had left Belarus she needed to renew her passport. So, with some fear, she registered with the Belarusian Embassy for a visit to hand-in paperwork to apply for a new passport. Because Alena had publicly protested against the regime, when Alena arrived at the Embassy the staff there made it clear she wasn’t welcome and there could be problems with her passport application. “For people like you, this process can take a long time”. Because Alena felt intimidated by the Embassy staff she left the appointment early and didn’t complete the application. Because of a change in Belarusian rules the Embassy now doesn’t issue new passports and Alena would have to return to Belarus – where Alena knows she would be arrested. Because Alena wanted to support her friends who were protesting, Alena has missed family funerals and doesn’t know when she’ll see her family again.

These stories are the fate of many of the flag-wavers, slogan shouters, street protestors and democracy lovers of 2020. As we looked on as they marched, who knew how things would go?

At times in our lives we may all have reason to reflect on some of our decisions and the choices we’ve made. While we’ll probably all have a few regrets or wonders about what could have been, rarely will many of us have the decisions we make so ruthlessly and diligently pursued to ensure catastrophic outcomes.

Because one dictator wanted to stay in power, millions of Belarusian lives are turned inside out, thousands are tortured, and hundreds of thousands forced into exile from their homeland, homes, family and friends.

The human cost of one dictator’s rule is incalculable.