Belarus frees key opposition figure Sergey Tikhanovsky following rare visit from top US envoy
Belarus has freed Sergey Tikhanovsky, a key dissident figure and the husband of exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, following a rare visit by a senior US official, Tikhanovskaya's team announced on Saturday.
Tikhanovsky, a popular blogger and activist who was jailed in 2020, arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania, alongside 13 other political prisoners, his wife's team said. The release came just hours after Belarusian authorities announced that authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko met with US President Donald Trump's envoy for Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, in Minsk.
A video published on his wife's official Telegram account showed Tikhanovsky disembarking a white minibus, with a shaved head and broad smile. He pulled Tikhanovskaya into a long embrace as their supporters applauded.
'My husband is free. It's difficult to describe the joy in my heart,' Tikhanovskaya told reporters. But she added her team's work is 'not finished' while over 1,100 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus.
Tikhanovsky was jailed after announcing plans to challenge Lukashenko in the 2020 election. Following his arrest, his wife ran in his stead, rallying large crowds across the country. Official results of the election handed Lukashenko his sixth term in office but were denounced by the opposition and the West as a sham.
As unprecedented protests broke out in the aftermath of the vote, Tikhanovskaya left the country under pressure from the authorities. Her husband was later sentenced to 19 1/2 years in prison on charges of organizing mass riots.
Other prominent dissidents remain in Belarusian jails, among them Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, a human rights advocate serving a 10-year prison sentence on charges widely denounced as politically motivated. Also behind bars is Viktor Babaryka, a former banker who was widely seen in 2020 as Lukashenko's main electoral rival, and Maria Kolesnikova, a charismatic leader of that year's mass protests.
Released alongside Tikhanovsky was longtime Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty correspondent Ihar Karnei, the US government-funded broadcaster confirmed. Karnei, who had also worked with prominent Belarusian and Russian newspapers, had been serving a three-year service on extremism charges he rejected as a sham.
RFE/RL's Belarusian service had been designated extremist in the country, a common label handed to anyone who criticizes Lukashenko's government. As a result, working for it or spreading its content has become a criminal offense.
'We are deeply grateful to President Trump for securing the release of this brave journalist, who suffered at the hands of the Belarusian authorities,' the broadcaster's CEO Stephen Capus said Saturday in a press release.
Karnei was detained several times while covering the 2020 protests. Unlike many of his colleagues, he chose to stay in Belarus despite the ensuing repression. He was arrested again in July 2023, as police raided his apartment seizing phones and computers.
Belarus also freed an Estonian national who had set up an NGO to raise funds for Belarusian refugees. According to the Estonian Foreign Ministry, Allan Roio was detained last January, and sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison on charges of establishing an extremist organization.
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7 hours ago
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Freed Belarus opposition figure urges Trump to help release all prisoners
Belarus opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky, who was released following an appeal from the White House, said Sunday that US President Donald Trump could secure the freedom of all Belarusian political prisoners. A tearful and emaciated Tikhanovsky spoke to reporters in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius a day after he was released from several years of prison with more than a dozen others. "President Trump now has the power and opportunity to free all political prisoners in Belarus with a single word, and I ask him to do so, to say that word," Tikhanovsky said. The eastern European country still holds more than 1,000 political prisoners in its jails, according to Belarusian human rights group Viasna. Tikhanovsky said he hoped to return to Belarus "but when, I don't know yet". "You have to understand, I spent more than five years alone in a solitary cell," he said. "I was completely isolated. I have very little information and now I need to find out a lot of things." Tikhanovsky was joined at the news conference by his wife Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who took the mantle of the opposition movement after he was jailed. "The leader of the opposition is Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, my wife. And I am not going to challenge that," Tikhanovsky said. - 'Incredibly emotional' - The prisoner release on Saturday came just hours after US special envoy Keith Kellogg met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, the highest-profile US visit in years. Tikhanovsky, 46, had been imprisoned for more than five years. The popular YouTuber had planned to run against Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election, but was arrested and detained weeks before the vote. A charismatic activist, Tikhanovsky drew the ire of authorities for his campaign slogan, "Stop the cockroach", a reference to Lukashenko. He was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison for "organising riots" and "inciting hatred", then to another 18 months for "insubordination". Tikhanovskaya -- a political novice at the time of her husband's arrest -- ran against Lukashenko in his place but lost after what the opposition described as widespread falsification. She later fled Belarus. Lukashenko claimed a record seventh term in elections earlier this year that observers dismissed as a farce. Tikhanovskaya, who has been living in exile in Lithuania, said Sunday "it was incredibly emotional for me to see finally my husband after long five years". "He is alive and we together again and remain committed to our fight," she told reporters, before thanking Trump and his administration for their "tireless efforts". - 'Difficult conditions' - Lithuania shelters tens of thousands of Belarusians, many of whom moved there as Minsk clamped down on dissent in the 2020 presidential vote's aftermath. The Baltic state is also a hub for some Russian opposition figures, including Leonid Volkov, an ally of the late Alexei Navalny. Among the 13 others freed Saturday were Radio Liberty journalist Igor Karnei, arrested in 2023 and jailed for participating in an "extremist" organisation. Lithuania said the released prisoners were now receiving "proper care" in the Baltic state. Though none needed emergency medical assistance, "one of them needed emergency medical attention" as "they were imprisoned in difficult conditions", Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said. The Council of Europe rights watchdog called on Sunday for the release of the remaining political prisoners, saying some have been "incommunicado for several years". "They should all be released immediately and unconditionally. Their place was never in prison," said the statement by rapporteurs of the group's Parliamentary Assembly (PACE). Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed all genuine opposition parties. It is the only European country to retain the death penalty as a punishment. Lukashenko's spokeswoman said the Belarusian leader had ordered the release of the prisoners on Trump's "request", Russian state media reported. The US leader appeared to take credit, writing "Thank you President Trump!" on social media, alongside a link to a news story about the prisoner release. bur-amj/jxb
Yahoo
21 hours ago
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Belarus frees jailed opposition leader, 13 others after visit from U.S. envoy
Belarus freed top opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky and more than a dozen other political prisoners Saturday following an appeal from the White House, Tsikhanouskaya's team announced on Saturday, a sign of warming ties between Washington and Belarus-ally Moscow. The release came just hours after retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, the highest-profile visit of a U.S. official to the authoritarian state in years. Tikhanovsky's wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who took the mantle of the opposition movement after her husband's jailing, thanked President Trump directly for brokering the deal. Lukashenko's spokeswoman said the Belarusian leader had ordered the release of the prisoners on Mr. Trump's "request," Russian state media reported. Mr. Trump appeared to take credit, writing "Thank you President Trump!" on his Truth Social platform, alongside a link to a news story about the prisoner release. European politicians and members of Belarus's exiled opposition also welcomed the news. "This is fantastic news and a powerful symbol of hope for all the political prisoners suffering under the brutal Lukashenka regime," European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X. "Europe continues to call for their immediate release," she added. Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed his "sincerest joy," while Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics called Tikhanovsky's freedom a "much awaited and long overdue moment." German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed Tikhanovsky's release as "fantastically good news," in a post to X. "At the same time, we must not forget the many other prisoners in Belarus. Lukashenko must finally release them," he added. Pavel Latushko, a former culture minister in Belarus who supported the 2020 protests against Lukashenko, also hailed Tikhanovsky's release as an "important moment". Tikhanovsky, 46, had been imprisoned for more than five years. The popular Youtuber had planned to run against Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election, but was arrested and detained weeks before the vote. He was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison for "organizing riots" and "inciting hatred," then to another 18 months for "insubordination." Svetlana — a political novice at the time of her husband's arrest — ran against Lukashenko in his place but lost after what the opposition described as widespread falsification. She later fled Belarus. "It's hard to describe the joy in my heart," she said in a post on X following her husband's release. Among the 13 others freed were Radio Liberty journalist Ihar Karnei, arrested in 2023 and jailed for participating in an "extremist" organization. They have now been transferred from Belarus to Lithuania, where they were receiving "proper care," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said. Though none of the released prisoners needed emergency medical assistance, "one of them needed emergency medical attention" as "they were imprisoned in difficult conditions," Budrys told the LRT public broadcaster, without elaborating. Swedish-Belarusian citizen Galina Krasnyanskaya, arrested in 2023 for allegedly supporting Ukraine, was also freed, said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed all genuine opposition parties. It is the only European country to retain the death penalty as a punishment. The eastern European country still holds more than 1,000 political prisoners in its jails, according to Belarusian human rights group Viasna. Since taking office, Mr. Trump has engaged in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ending his predecessor's policy of isolating the Russian president. The two nuclear powers have since worked to normalize diplomatic ties, which have for years lingered at their lowest point since the Cold War. In February, a U.S. citizen who had been detained in Belarus was one of three prisoners freed into U.S. custody. Chris Smith, deputy assistant secretary for Eastern Europe, said at the time that the deal was negotiated by Belarusian authorities and signaled a desire by Lukashenko to have a stronger relationship with the U.S. And in January, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Belarus had "unilaterally" freed an American woman from detention. Tikhanovsky was for years held incommunicado, and in 2023 his wife was told that he had "died." In a video published by Viasna on Saturday, he appeared almost unrecognizable, his head shaven and face emaciated. A charismatic activist, Tikhanovsky drew the ire of authorities for describing Lukashenko as a "cockroach" and his campaign slogan was "Stop the cockroach." Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the 2020 election, a result that sparked massive opposition protests which authorities violently suppressed. The Belarusian autocrat claimed a record seventh term in elections earlier this year that observers dismissed as a farce. Some Spanish residents, armed with water guns, want tourists to go home Dodgers respond to ICE raids in Los Angeles Israeli military planning for possibility of a lengthy war with Iran
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Belarus frees jailed opposition leader, more than a dozen others after visit from U.S. envoy
Belarus freed top opposition figure Sergei Tikhanovsky and more than a dozen other political prisoners Saturday following an appeal from the White House, Tsikhanouskaya's team announced on Saturday, a sign of warming ties between Washington and Belarus-ally Moscow. The release came just hours after retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Minsk, the highest-profile visit of a U.S. official to the authoritarian state in years. Tikhanovsky's wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who took the mantle of the opposition movement after her husband's jailing, thanked President Trump directly for brokering the deal. This photo taken from video released by the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Office on June 21, 2025, shows Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, back to camera, going to hug her husband Syarhei Tsikhanouski, during their meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Vilnius, Lithuania, on June 21, 2025, following his release by Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Office via AP Lukashenko's spokeswoman said the Belarusian leader had ordered the release of the prisoners on Mr. Trump's "request," Russian state media reported. Mr. Trump appeared to take credit, writing "Thank you President Trump!" on his Truth Social platform, alongside a link to a news story about the prisoner release. European politicians and members of Belarus's exiled opposition also welcomed the news. "This is fantastic news and a powerful symbol of hope for all the political prisoners suffering under the brutal Lukashenka regime," European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said on X. "Europe continues to call for their immediate release," she added. Poland's Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski expressed his "sincerest joy," while Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics called Tikhanovsky's freedom a "much awaited and long overdue moment." German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul welcomed Tikhanovsky's release as "fantastically good news," in a post to X. "At the same time, we must not forget the many other prisoners in Belarus. Lukashenko must finally release them," he added. Pavel Latushko, a former culture minister in Belarus who supported the 2020 protests against Lukashenko, also hailed Tikhanovsky's release as an "important moment". Tikhanovsky, 46, had been imprisoned for more than five years. The popular Youtuber had planned to run against Lukashenko in the August 2020 presidential election, but was arrested and detained weeks before the vote. He was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years in prison for "organizing riots" and "inciting hatred," then to another 18 months for "insubordination." Svetlana — a political novice at the time of her husband's arrest — ran against Lukashenko in his place but lost after what the opposition described as widespread falsification. She later fled Belarus. "It's hard to describe the joy in my heart," she said in a post on X following her husband's release. Among the 13 others freed were Radio Liberty journalist Ihar Karnei, arrested in 2023 and jailed for participating in an "extremist" organization. Belarusian journalist and released political prisoner Ihar Karnei is pictured in Vilnius on June 21, 2025. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said on June 21, 2025, that 14 freed political prisoners, including Belarus opposition leader Sergei Tikhanovsky, were "safe in Lithuania" and "receiving proper care." ANDREI SHAULIUHA/AFP via Getty Images They have now been transferred from Belarus to Lithuania, where they were receiving "proper care," Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said. Though none of the released prisoners needed emergency medical assistance, "one of them needed emergency medical attention" as "they were imprisoned in difficult conditions," Budrys told the LRT public broadcaster, without elaborating. Swedish-Belarusian citizen Galina Krasnyanskaya, arrested in 2023 for allegedly supporting Ukraine, was also freed, said Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed all genuine opposition parties. It is the only European country to retain the death penalty as a punishment. The eastern European country still holds more than 1,000 political prisoners in its jails, according to Belarusian human rights group Viasna. Since taking office, Mr. Trump has engaged in direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, ending his predecessor's policy of isolating the Russian president. The two nuclear powers have since worked to normalize diplomatic ties, which have for years lingered at their lowest point since the Cold War. In February, a U.S. citizen who had been detained in Belarus was one of three prisoners freed into U.S. custody. Chris Smith, deputy assistant secretary for Eastern Europe, said at the time that the deal was negotiated by Belarusian authorities and signaled a desire by Lukashenko to have a stronger relationship with the U.S. And in January, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Belarus had "unilaterally" freed an American woman from detention. Tikhanovsky was for years held incommunicado, and in 2023 his wife was told that he had "died." In a video published by Viasna on Saturday, he appeared almost unrecognizable, his head shaven and face emaciated. A charismatic activist, Tikhanovsky drew the ire of authorities for describing Lukashenko as a "cockroach" and his campaign slogan was "Stop the cockroach." Lukashenko claimed a landslide victory in the 2020 election, a result that sparked massive opposition protests which authorities violently suppressed. The Belarusian autocrat claimed a record seventh term in elections earlier this year that observers dismissed as a farce.
