EUROPEAN UNION: Suicides of Belarusian political refugees: a desperate call for help of Nash Dom from the EU
During the Cold War, political refugees from Belarus and other USSR Republics were welcome in Western Europe. Now, they are parked in refugee camps at risk of deportation
HRWF with Nash Dom/ Our House (10.04.2025) – On April 6, 2025, a funeral was held in Warsaw for Belarusian political refugee and activist Maksim Chernyavsky. He had been involved in protest movements in Belarus since 2011, faced state repression, and was forced into exile, where he continued his civic engagement. The cause of death was suicide.
The case of Stanislau Brykin
Stanislau Brykin, a citizen of Belarus, took his own life in a refugee shelter in the refugee camp in Pabradė (Lithuania) on March 4, 2025. Brykin was an active participant in the 2020 protests, including a strike at the state-owned company Beltelecom. After facing persecution targeting him and his family, he fled Belarus and sought refuge in Lithuania. However, Lithuanian authorities designated him a threat to national security, placing him at risk of deportation to a Belarusian prison.
In an attempt to find safety, he applied for asylum in Germany. Nevertheless, under the Dublin Regulation, he was returned to Lithuania, where he remained in a refugee camp, awaiting potential deportation back to Belarus.
Faced with the prospect of torture and imprisonment in a Belarusian detention facility, Belarusian man chose death.
While his wife, Yuliya Brykina-Barysava, and their children later returned to Belarus, he remained in the EU. After her return, Yuliya appeared in a state propaganda film Aliens’ Sky. It remains unclear whether Stanislau knew about her involvement but activists speculate that learning of it could have influenced his tragic decision.
A warning from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (*), a candidate in the 2020 presidential election against the president Alexander Lukashenko
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (*): “What is happening is outrageous. Exploiting vulnerable people who trusted acquaintances or ‘journalists’ in hopes of receiving help and turning their stories into a propaganda tool is yet another proof that the regime has no regard for human lives. Those who found themselves in difficult circumstances precisely because of the regime’s actions deserve support and understanding – not to be used for a fabricated narrative about how ‘bad’ life is for exiles. It’s hard to imagine what the people in this film felt when they saw that their words, recorded under the pretense of assistance, ended up broadcast on state television.
Some of them say that the filming was allegedly done on behalf of my Office. But we would never put people at risk. Every initiative coming from my Office or done with our support strictly follows security principles. My team never mentions names without consent and never shares your personal data with anyone.
It is particularly important now to stay vigilant. If you participate in surveys, interviews, or aid projects – verify who you are dealing with. Check where the initiative is coming from and reach out to editorial teams to verify the journalists you communicate with. Don’t hesitate to say ‘no’ if something raises concerns. Stay safe, inform others about necessary security measures, and do not let anyone take advantage of your trust.
According to Nash Dom, suicides among Belarusian political activists at home and in EU countries reflect the systemic vulnerability of this group. The lack of stable international protection mechanisms, undefined legal status, threats of deportation to Belarusian prisons and torture, as well as stigmatization and political pressure — including being declared a “national security threat” — significantly increase the risk of psychological breakdown and suicide.
This disturbing pattern of suicides among Belarusian political refugees deserves greater attention from human rights institutions, EU bodies, and international protection mechanisms.
“After four years of witnessing suicides among Belarusian refugees — met with silence and inaction — we have no hope that the deaths of Stanislau Brykin or Maksim Chernyavsky will be the last. There will be more suicides among Belarusian political refugees. Unfortunately, we are certain of that,” Nash Dom declared on its website. There is often a deepening sense of hopelessness, despair and burnout among many human rights activists and political refugees. This disillusionment is unfortunately becoming a common emotional state, and it clearly had an impact in such cases.
(*) Sviatlana Hieorhiyeuna Tsikhanouskaya is a Belarusian political activist. After standing as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election against the president Alexander Lukashenko, she has led the political opposition to his authoritarian rule through an oppositional government operating from Lithuania and Poland.
Stanislau Brykin, a Belarusian activvist, committed suicide in a refugee camps in Lithuania. Credit: time.kz
