Franak Viachorka: Let's help heroes to get through hard times

A Belarusian activist and journalist calls to send more letters to political prisoners.

Franak Viachorka, a Belarusian activist, young politician and RFE/RL employee, joined the campaign Freedom x 2 and called to send postcards and letters to political prisoners, the campaign website reports.

“From my experience I know what solidarity means when you are in prison, cut off from the rest of the world, isolated, suffering from intimidation and possibly torture, which some political prisoners face. You are waiting for any message from outside as a hope. Every letter and every word give you confidence and power to survive.

Army commanders did their best to break me on the eve of 2013. They prohibited me to see and talk to my family members, and other soldiers were not allowed to talk to me. I received postcards from Poland, Germany, France, the US and even from Australia; from international organisations, politicians and just people whom I didn't know. I received 1500 postcards during a week or two. Commanders and soldiers were shocked. They came and asked: 'Are these letters from your friends?' I answered that they were from my friends all over the world.

The campaign Freedom x 2 initiated by MEP Marek Migalski is very important for these brave men. I joined it and call on everyone to send postcards. Let's help imprisoned heroes to get through these hard times and gain freedom,” the journalist said.