Peredachi Poisk: Find a Detained Person

A loved one has not been in touch since being detained, and you do not know which station holds them. Every hour of uncertainty drags. The Peredachi Poisk bot was made for exactly this situation: it helps find where a detained person is. 🙏

You enter a name and a date of birth, and volunteers carry out the search. The bot is supported by the Peredachi project.

How the search works

This is not an automatic directory but the work of people. That is why the description says at once that the answer will not be instant and the search takes time.

• Name. The person's full name as it appears in their documents.
• Date of birth. Helps tell namesakes apart.
• Accuracy. The fuller and more accurate the data, the better the chance of finding the person.
• Waiting. Volunteers check the information by hand and report back.

Who stands behind the bot

Peredachi is known as a set of volunteer chats where people help detainees: they look for people missing after protests, bring water, food and belongings, and meet people on release. The first such chat appeared in 2017 and grew into a large community.

The bot continues the same work. More about the project is given in its chat, linked in the bot's profile.

What to prepare before you ask

1. The person's details. Full name and date of birth.
2. The circumstances. When and where they were last seen.
3. A way to reach you. Make sure someone can reply to you.
4. Patience. Do not send the same request many times in a row.

What you can do in parallel

Do not treat the bot's reply as your only chance. Call the duty officers of nearby police stations, ask hospitals and information services, contact a lawyer.

If the family knows a lawyer, they can send an official inquiry. A detained person usually has the right to call relatives and to a defense counsel, so it helps to know these rights in advance.

Protecting your information

Data about detainees is sensitive. Enter only what the search needs, and do not post it in open chats without the consent of the person or their relatives.

Do not trust anyone who asks for money for a "guaranteed release" or a "fast search". Volunteer help is not for sale, and scammers often exploit other people's trouble.

Who the bot is for

Relatives, friends and colleagues of someone who vanished after being detained. People who want to know where to turn in the first hours. And those ready to become volunteers and help others.