Independent Journalist Legal Defense Fund
Donate crypto to this press freedom & journalism cause in Belarus. We accept Bitcoin, Ethereum, USDT and six other coins, with no platform fee.
Funds legal defense for journalists prosecuted for reporting critical of the government, in one of the world's most restrictive media environments.
Why this matters in Belarus
After the disputed 2020 presidential election, authorities closed or blocked most independent outlets, designated many as extremist, and began prosecuting reporters for covering protests, working with foreign media, or sharing banned content. As of August 2026, the Belarusian Association of Journalists counted 21 media workers behind bars for political reasons.
Moving abroad has not ended the pressure. Exiled journalists face criminal cases in absentia, searches of relatives' homes, confiscation of property and trouble renewing passports. Inside the country, readers who subscribe to or donate to outlets labeled extremist can be prosecuted, which isolates the reporters still working there. Lawyers who take political cases have themselves been disbarred or detained, so competent defense is expensive and hard to arrange. Legal costs, appeals and support for detained journalists' families all fall on a professional community that has lost most of its income.
What your gift pays for
- Lawyers' fees and court costs for journalists facing politically motivated charges
- Appeals and submissions to international human rights bodies on behalf of convicted journalists
- Support for imprisoned media workers and their families during and after detention
- Legal advice for exiled journalists facing in-absentia prosecution or document problems
Organization
Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) · Belarus (operating in exile)
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Belarus (registered 1999; liquidated by the authorities in 2021) · No. 00204
Founded 1995 · Headquarters: Minsk
Independent Belarusian journalists' association, liquidated inside Belarus and now working from exile, that documents persecution of journalists and supports those prosecuted.
How they work: Working from exile since its liquidation, BAJ keeps a running record of detentions, searches, trials, sentences and wanted listings involving media workers, and shares it with international press freedom bodies. It provides legal assistance to persecuted journalists, and its support and training programs serve the independent media community that continues to cover the country, largely from abroad. BAJ is a member of the International Federation of Journalists and works with it on campaigns for jailed colleagues.
Track record: BAJ provided legal support to persecuted journalists during the 2020-2021 protests and registered 1,079 physical, legal or administrative attacks on journalists in 2017-2019.
✓ Verified by our team on 22 August 2023
Giving in Belarus
Political repression forms the backdrop for two of the three causes in Belarus, one of the world's most restrictive media environments. The Belarusian Association of Journalists funds legal defense for reporters prosecuted over critical coverage, and Libereco supports the families of political prisoners. A third cause funds home visits and practical help for elderly people living alone through territorial social service centers, so the list covers everyday social care as well as rights work.
3 causes are listed in Belarus, each with its own verified organization. $339,145 has been distributed to causes in Belarus since 2021.
Our guide to giving in Belarus · all 3 causes
Пожертвования криптовалютой для Беларуси: пожилые, семьи, журналисты
Read the guide and compare causes →
See all Press Freedom & Journalism causes and how we choose them →
How your gift reaches this cause
- You send crypto to DonateCrypto’s verified wallet for the coin you choose. No platform fee is taken; blockchain network fees still apply.
- Your transaction ID ties the gift to this cause. Our team checks it on the blockchain and emails your official receipt once it’s confirmed.
- We then convert the funds for this cause and send them to Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), the organization named above, by bank transfer to its registered bank account, within 24 hours of confirming your donation.
- Every cause is reviewed before it’s listed — see how we vet causes.
- DonateCrypto is a program of Global Relief Group, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so gifts may be tax-deductible for US donors.