Andrei Uladzimiravich Navitski
Andrei was arrested in June 2021 in connection with a criminal case opened under the articles "organizing and preparing actions that grossly violate public order," "illegal actions in relation to firearms, ammunition, and explosives," and "insulting Lukashenko."
In September 2021, he was found guilty of participating in the 2020 post-election protests in Minsk, insulting Lukashenko on YouTube, and purchasing, storing, and transporting a bulk substance without notifying authorized authorities.
In June 2022, Andrei faced a court hearing for "malicious disobedience to the demands of the prison administration," which resulted in his prison term being extended and the prison regime being tightened.
In January 2023, another court hearing was held on charges of "disobeying the administration's demands." As a result, the total sentence was seven years in prison.
Since April 2024 and as of early December of that year, Andrei's family has had no news of him. Their inquiries to the prison administration were met with a formal response, stating that he would report everything himself "through correspondence," but no letters have been received from him.
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
Involved in repression
