In our experience, and the experience of our partners, political prisoners often do not receive the letters that are sent to them. They can be censored or deliberately withheld from them by detention authorities. So, why should we still send letters to political prisoners?

Writing still matters—especially coordinated campaigns around birthdays and so on. Even if letters don’t reach the person, the authorities see the activity.

Andrei Chapiuk, Belarusian human rights defender and former political prisoner

Time and time again, we hear from current political prisoners and those who have been released just how important messages of solidarity are.

“We have to help [political prisoners] understand that what they face right now is temporary. That there are thousands of people thinking about them, about their situation. They need to know they are very important.”

Anar Mammadli, Azerbaijani human rights defender and political prisoner for the second time currently in pre-trial detention

This is how Leniie Umerova, a Crimean Tatar activist and former political prisoner, explains the importance of letters for the victims of unlawful detentions and their relatives. 

“For a person in captivity, every letter is proof that they haven’t disappeared between the prison walls. It is vital support — a fight for the person, giving them faith in liberation. For families, it is also a source of strength — knowing that their loved ones are seen and heard, that their suffering has not become “just another statistic.” This support relieves the feeling of abandonment and gives them the strength to keep fighting.”

Since 2023, Azerbaijan has been conducting its most comprehensive crackdown against civil society in its post-independence history. With the majority of human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers in exile or behind bars, the few that remain are unable to operate in a civic space that defenders describe as transitioning from “shrinking” to “closing”. Human rights defenders estimate over 300 political prisoners in the country [as of December 2025]. Our colleagues, Anar Mammadli and Ulviyya Ali, are among them.

Send a message to Anar Mammadli and Ulviyya Ali

If you would like to show your support and write a personal message to Anar Mammadli, please use the following postal address. Post a photograph of your postcard online with the hashtags #FreeAnar and #FreeUlviyya

In connection with the 9 August 2020 presidential election in Belarus, tens of thousands of people who took to the streets in peaceful protests were met with mass repression by the Belarusian authorities. This crackdown on civil society continues, and today there are over 1100 political prisoners in the country, including our colleagues Andrei Aliaksandrau, Valiantsin Stefanovich, and Marfa Rabkova.

Send a postcard: Viasna maintains a comprehensive and regularly updated list of political prisoners as well as their mailing addresses.

Send a digital greeting: Send a message via volunteer initiative Solidarity Postcards Atelier, organised by activists of the Belarusian Human Rights School and the Belarusian Students’ Association.

In 2014, following Crimea’s illegal occupation by the Russian Federation, a system of repression was established on the peninsula, aimed at politically motivated persecution and silencing dissent. Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, this situation has only deteriorated. Currently, over 200 Crimeans are illegally detained by the Russian Federation on trumped-up charges, in most cases, far away from Crimea and for lengthy terms. Among them are human rights defenders, students, artists, civic activists, journalists, parents of minors, pensioners, and people in need of urgent medical help. It has also been extremely rare that Crimean political prisoners have been released as part of prisoner exchange swaps, making the situation hopeless for those detained.

Send a letter by filling out this online form, coordinated by Human Rights House Crimea and Crimean Process. More details can be found here.

Send a letter via email as part of “Letters to a Free Crimea” campaign co-organised by  ZMINA Human Rights Centre.

To give your message the best possible chance of reaching a political prisoner, we recommend the following approach.

If there is a dedicated campaign, follow its guidance.
Where an organised solidarity campaign exists—such as Letters for Crimean Political Prisoners—always follow the instructions provided by the campaign. These initiatives typically have established, tested methods that maximise the likelihood of messages being delivered and safely received.

If there is no campaign, use social media.
In the absence of a dedicated campaign, consider writing a letter of solidarity and sharing a photograph of your message on social media, accompanied by a relevant hashtag. You may also wish to tag organisations that are actively working on the political prisoner’s case to help amplify visibility.

If an address is available, consider sending a physical letter.
If you are able to locate a postal address, you may also send a letter directly. While the political prisoner may not receive it, detention authorities will, and the act itself signals that the individual is known, remembered, and not forgotten.