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Remote grieving: how Belarusian refugees face the death of someone close

The number of Belarusians in exile continues to grow following the crackdowns and repressions after the falsified elections in 2020. Most of those who leave cannot return until a major change in Belarus. As seen in the experiences of three young Belarusian activists, the emotional toll can sometimes be a high price to pay following the decision to escape.

It has been more than three years since the 2020 election in Belarus and the subsequent protests following the falsified victory of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. During this period, thousands of people have faced political persecution and currently there are nearly 1,500 political prisoners in Belarus. People continue to be arrested for disagreeing with the regime, and since February 2022 for supporting Ukraine.

February 7, 2024 - Darya Grishchuk - Hot TopicsIssue 1-2 2024Magazine

Photo: Andrzej Rostek / Shutterstock

The massive repressions provoked an unprecedented wave of migration. According to the European Network for Belarus, since 2020, about 145,000 to 170,000 Belarusians have emigrated to Poland, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia alone. Some of them have decided to never come back, or at least remain abroad until the regime changes. Visiting their homeland can be dangerous for them since people get detained right on the border.

The stories of three Belarusians who left the country for political reasons and, while abroad, lost their loved ones who stayed behind represents some of the huge challenges faced by those in exile. We spoke to them about remote loss, their decision not to return, and their experience in resisting Lukashenka’s regime.

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