Nastya, 6 years old

Mom - Antonina Konovalova, sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in a colony under general regime. Dad - Sergey Yaroshevich, sentenced to 6 years and three months in a colony under strict regime. Nastya and her brother Vanya have left Belarus, and now live with their grandmother in Poland.

My mom has dark hair like my brother Vanya and blue eyes. On my birthday, Mom gave me cosmetics as a gift.

When Mom comes back, I'll prepare a surprise and draw flowers. I'll hug Mom, then cover her eyes with my hands, and say, "Surprise!"

I miss Belarus. It's colorful.

But I don't remember much more. (Nastya was only four when her mom was imprisoned).

I wish Mom health, so she doesn't get sick and keeps smiling, and I hope all the bad people go to jail.

Vanya, 8 years old

Mom - Antonina Konovalova, arrested in September 2020, sentenced to 5 years and 6 months in a colony under general regime. Dad - Sergey Yaroshevich, sentenced to 6 years and three months in a colony under strict regime. Vanya and his sister Nastya have left Belarus, and now live with their grandmother in Poland.

I remember Mom as kind, nice, and caring. Once, she found puppies near the river and brought them home. Someone had thrown them off a bridge. When she heard them howling, she found them and brought them home. Then we gave them away because we already had our dog, Candy. I used to ride on Candy while Mom held her because she would kick.

I haven't talked to Mom in three months, and I miss her. When I see Mom, I'll hug her and prepare a surprise for her, but I won't tell what it is because it's a surprise.

I wish Mom to hold on a little longer, and we will definitely bring her back.‍

And Dad always helped me. He played football with me in our village courtyard. I also remember how he took us for rides in the car. I want him to be well and to be released as soon as possible.

Yan, 9 years old

Dad - Sergey Lisovsky, arrested in August 2021, listed as a "terrorist," currently in the KGB detention center.‍

Dad is strong, always smiling, but he has few hairs, to be honest.

He is very cheerful, kind, and hardworking. We used to lie in bed together in the evenings, play, and tell each other stories, making each other laugh. Then Grandma would come, and she'd be angry that we weren't asleep yet.

Once, when we were in Turkey, I started falling from the pier into the sea and got entangled in the ropes. I shouted to Mom, "Mom, help!" Dad ran up, grabbed me, and pulled me out. Dad is always my protector.

I also remember how we swam in the sea with Dad despite the red flags warning about dangerous waves. The waves were two meters high, but we had so much fun!

I also remember riding bikes with Dad along the Minsk river. By the way, Dad believed in me when I said I could ride a two-wheeled bike without support.

Without Dad, I feel sad. I want to be like him - cheerful, strong, and hardworking, but with more hair.

I wish Dad a speedy "release" from prison, to remain the same cheerful and strong, or even better, without the prison changing him.

Lesha, Sasha, Kostya. Their dad is a political prisoner. They asked to remain anonymous.

Lesha, 10 years old

My dad is my authority, my hero. I love him very much. I remember watching him play soccer with the other kids at the stadium, and now, when I play soccer and score goals, I always think of my dad. I remember walking together. I remember Dad coming home from work and giving us piggyback rides.

I write letters to Dad, and he writes back. In his letters, he tells different stories, like when he went to the first Champions League in Belarus. Sometimes I give him chess puzzles, and sometimes he gives me some.

I try to help Mom. I play with my brothers outside, tidy up, dust, and take out the trash all the time. We try to make sure Mom has a good mood every day, but it doesn't always work out, though.

I wish Dad to come back to us as soon as possible. I know he's honest; he stood up for Belarus. He wanted a president who deserved it, not someone who fakes everything. He wanted Belarus to be an honest country.

Sasha, 5 years old

I remember that Dad had a cool face with a beard. I also remember him accidentally breaking a light bulb with a pillow (we were playing pillow fights).

Lukashenko thought Dad would defeat him. So he decided to put Dad in prison because he didn't want Dad to beat him.

Kostya, 8 years old

I remember that Dad had a cool face; I liked it. But in prison, his face changed, and his head became round. His beard got shorter.

I miss him a lot because I love him very much. I remember how Dad and Mom set up an obstacle course at our home, and we went through it.

Dad became an amazing artist in prison; he draws so well! I want to meet Dad as soon as possible and hug him. We'll have a visit soon. I'll fly to him and give him a big kiss.

I know that Dad was very honest. He was against those... idiots.

(Note: The text contains statements from children about their parents, who are political prisoners in Belarus. It reflects the emotions and thoughts of these children and their experiences during the imprisonment of their parents.)