On the afternoon of September 19, law enforcement officers, claiming to be from the Oktyabrsky District Criminal Investigation Department in Grodno, raided the home of Andrei Meleshko's ailing mother. On September 30, they began to stink at his sister. According to the criminal investigation officers, the criminal case was opened because of two interviews he gave in 2023 and 2024 to media outlets designated as "extremist groups" in Belarus.
Recently, the Ministry of Information added Andrei Meleshko's Instagram accounts, amialeshka and batumiby.ge, and the journalist's Telegram channel, "Sakartvelo-Belarus," which sells merchandise with Belarusian symbols, to its list of "extremist" materials. Meleshko also claims that in 2023, criminal cases were opened against him for participating in "extremist" groups—the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) and Radio Racyja. However, there have been no further developments in these cases; at least, Andrei hasn't been informed of anything.
How to write a letter
✏️ A postcard with words of encouragement (a poem by your favorite author, song lyrics, or a beautiful quote). Trust us, even such simple gestures are very meaningful to a person in jail.
✏️ Your life events. To a person who is in isolation for a long time, any story about your routine endeavors will be a window into normal life. Your day-to-day worries and mundane matters are much more interesting than the daily grind of life behind bars.
✏️ It is important to share news. Mention the most notable and interesting occurrences depending on your pen-pal's interests.
✍️️ Remember that every letter is censored. This means that your letters are read by strangers whose main goal is to limit inmates' access to information or to use it against the prisoners or even you.
So try to avoid:
👉️️ harsh statements regarding ongoing political matters
👉 statements against the authorities and public servants
👉 foul language
👉 discussion of the circumstances of the criminal case
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Correct translation
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