skybluestain

Hi, I'm Aleksandr, a human rights activist from Russia working with Amnesty International. In March 2022, I had to leave my country due to repressions against the anti-war movement following the invasion of Ukraine. Laws punishing the truth about the war as "fake news" and "discrediting the army" were passed, carrying years of imprisonment. Thousands of Russians have been arrested for participating in anti-war rallies; over 750 people faced criminal charges, and Amnesty's work became illegal as authorities blocked our website and revoked our accreditation.

!!! If you'd like to send a solidarity postcard to someone imprisoned for their anti-war stance in Russia, please let me know !!!

Now, I'm settled in Latvia after a month in Finland and 2.5 months in Kyrgyzstan, a country I deeply fell in love with (visit Kyrgyzstan in late spring or early summer—you won't regret it). I hope to return home one day to salvage what can still be saved from desecration.

I began my career as a journalist many years ago but shifted to human rights work as the situation in my country worsened each year. I realized it ahead of many as I'm gay, and the grim shadow of state-promoted intolerance and artificially inflated hatred began darkening the existence of my kin years ago.

But! I can say my job is not just about human grievances; it's also about the devotion of individuals and whole communities to the fight for their rights, liberty, and dignity. It's heartwarming to meet people like this. My job gave me the opportunity to meet wonderful people of exceptional integrity across Russia and neighboring countries, like Tbilisi LGBT Pride organizers, Crimean Tatar activists from Simferopol, activists in Rostov, Voronezh, and Saint Petersburg, and human rights defenders from Minsk—sadly, some are in exile, hiding underground, or behind bars (the level of state repression in Belarus is beyond imagination, actually).

I'm immensely grateful to all of them who keep the candles of hope alight.

Now, postcrossing serves as therapy for me. Writing postcards calms me down, and receiving them brings me a lot of childish joy. I don't mind getting any cards, but if you have something related to human rights, political and environmental activism, or the LGBTQ+ community, you're very welcome. I also re-started my GF collection anew since I left it behind in Moscow.

P.S. I'm also a member of 25stamps.club, papermoney.club, and youvegotmail.club. If you want to swap stamps, banknotes, or stationery, you can find me there—I'm skybluestain there too.

Cheers.

Expired cards: 2009 - 2; 2010 - 2; 2011 - 2; 2012 - 4; 2013 - 18; 2018 - 2; 2019 - 2; 2020 - 10; 2021 - 14; 2022 - 38; 2023 - 31...