Screenshot of the website of Dissidentby, showing information about political prisoners. Fair use. As of today, there are 1,745 political prisoners in Belarus, claim Dissidentby. Human rights activist project Dissidentby devotes itself to the spread of information and support for those prosecuted by Lukashenka's regime. They count everyone who had been prosecuted because of their political stance, not only based on political articles in the Criminal Code, as political prisoners. Global Voices interviewed one of the founders over email. For reasons of safety, the interviewee asked to remain anonymous. The interview has been edited for clarity. Global Voices (GV): How did the idea to create an organization (initiative and website) come about? Dissidentby (D): We are street activists, engaged in activities such as distributing leaflets, performing, and participating in protests. Our focus has always been on supporting those in need, particularly those associated with human rights centers. However, over time, we noticed that certain individuals were being left behind. After 2014, in Ukraine, Lukashenko ordered the removal of football fans by any means necessary. Our anti-fascist friends from MTZ-RIPO (formerly the Partizan club) also became targets. The authorities dug up an old case involving a clash between anti-fascists and Nazis, where a trolleybus window was broken. In 2016, they conducted mass arrests, subjecting the arrested individuals, including children, to physical and psychological torture and threats. Six people were eventually sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to 12 years. Although the case had political implications, human rights centers refused to acknowledge the anti-fascists as political prisoners, dismissing them as mere hooligans. We strongly disagreed, recognizing the political motivations behind their imprisonment, witnessing the torture, attending court hearings, and advocating for their cause. However, our efforts to engage in dialogue with the human rights centers were met with refusal, leaving the tortured individuals without support. Determined to assist these people, we established ourselves as an informal human rights group in 2017, eventually taking shape as Dissidentby in 2019. GV: What are the main project of your organization? D: Our human rights work in Belarus involves direct action. We engage in activities such as collecting resources, learning to purchase necessary items, packaging cigarettes, and communicating with the families of political prisoners. We organize solidarity events, sign postcards, discuss the plight of prisoners, arrange concerts to raise awareness, and carry out actions like launching a live stream on Instagram outside detention centers during significant occasions. Inspired by Vladimir Akimenkov, a participant in the Bolotnaya Square protests, we adopted the practice of collecting donations for prisoners. Given our reputation as activists and the trust people have in us, our endeavors have been successful. Unfortunately, in 2020, there was a complete collapse of the legal system, and our experiences and practices became even more relevant. We call ourselves the Antifund because our approach is focused on distributing resources rather than accumulating them. This decentralized network ensures sustainability, capable of functioning independently of specific organizations or initiatives. GV: How many people support you, who are they in general? How do you finance your projects? How can you be supported? D: Our team consists of five individuals, but we receive support from many others who assist us both within Belarus and abroad. We rely on horizontal connections, inviting people to contribute as much as their personal resources allow. They can offer one-time help or become Guardians, providing ongoing support to a designated prisoner. Our team constantly works to expand the range of available assistance tools, which can include writing letters, attending court proceedings, sharing information, supporting families, directly aiding prisoners, becoming a Guardian, or offering job opportunities to those repressed by the regime. All these options are accessible through our website, dissidentby.com. GV: What would you like to achieve? D: Our primary goal is to democratize human rights knowledge and solidarity tools, emphasizing that formal education or certification as a “human rights activist” is not necessary. We consider ourselves human rights activists of the new era because we have a different perspective on recognizing individuals as political prisoners. The system has adapted, not only in Belarus but elsewhere as well.