Help Belarusians find safety from terror.

The first months of 2026 have been intense. In January alone, BYSOL processed 66 applications from political prisoners and released detainees — more than in any single month since we launched this program. The reason: in late December 2025, over 120 people were released from Belarusian prisons and forcibly expelled from the country. They arrived in Poland and Lithuania with nothing — no savings, often no documents, wearing the same clothes they were arrested in years earlier. BYSOL completed payouts from that emergency campaign in early 2026: more than €250,000 reached 120 people.

Then, on March 19, another group of 250 people was released. Again, BYSOL launched an emergency fundraiser — and again, donors responded fast. We raised nearly €104,000 in 15 days. Every person who applied received €1,000 as a first payment, with additional funds distributed as more applications came in.

Between January and May 2026, we processed 192 applications from political prisoners and former detainees, distributing approximately €247,000 in one-time support. People use these funds for housing deposits, medical care, language courses, or simply getting through the first weeks in a new country. We don't tell them what to spend it on — they know their needs better than we do.

Our evacuation team handled 18 extractions over the five months, including cases requiring complex, multi-stage operations across borders. The free hotline answered 731 calls — people in Belarus and in diaspora communities asking for guidance, legal information, or just trying to understand what their options are. Behind every number is someone in a genuinely difficult situation.

The need is not decreasing. Political prisoners continue to be released — and continue to need support from day one of their freedom.