Latest news with #Tsikhanouski
Balkan Insight
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Balkan Insight
A calculated gesture? The release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski and the future of the Belarusian democratic forces
July 25, 2025 - Hanna Vasilevich - Articles and Commentary Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya often campaigned for her husbands release. Photo taken in Vilnius in May 2025 by Michele Ursi / Shutterstock The symbolism and strategy behind the release In June 2025, the Belarusian authorities announced the release of fourteen political prisoners, including Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a 2020 presidential election candidate and husband of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. While international observers cautiously welcomed the gesture, the release is less a sign of a regime in retreat than a carefully choreographed diplomatic performance by Alyaksandr Lukashenka's government. Tsikhanouski's imprisonment in 2020 had become a catalyst for the largest protest wave in Belarus's modern history, and his sudden freedom comes at a time when the regime faces mounting geopolitical pressures and persistent domestic unrest. Tsikhanouski's release is profoundly symbolic but equally strategic. His name has become synonymous with the Belarusian struggle for democratic change, and his incarceration was a rallying point for opposition forces. Yet, the timing and selectivity of his release reveal the regime's intent to manage perceptions and extract maximum advantage from every concession. Lukashenka's government has long weaponized political prisoners as bargaining chips, releasing them not out of genuine reformist impulses but to signal flexibility to the West while maintaining an iron grip on power. This pattern, documented by the Viasna Human Rights Centre and extensively reported by such media outlets as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Belsat, underscores that releases are always conditional and instrumental to the regime's broader strategy. Importantly, while some political prisoners are freed, the regime continues to detain many others, underscoring that these gestures do not signal a systemic change in repression. Aliaksandr Klaskouski, one of the leading Belarusian political analysts, has illuminated how Lukashenka's regime has cultivated a deliberate construction of an ongoing narrative of existential threat to justify repression and consolidate power. Klaskouski argues that the selective release of prisoners like Tsikhanouski fits this framework. After all, it is a controlled concession designed to project an image of magnanimity without ceding real authority or undermining the regime's grip on society. Geopolitical calculations and diplomatic signalling Understanding this latest gesture requires situating it within Belarus's complex geopolitical position. The regime remains heavily dependent on Moscow's economic and security support but is increasingly aware of the risks of international isolation and sanctions. By releasing selected prisoners, Minsk attempts to signal a willingness to engage diplomatically, particularly with the United States and the European Union, without undermining its strategic alliance with Russia. This delicate balancing act reflects Lukashenka's broader survival strategy: to maintain authoritarian control while exploiting geopolitical rivalries to extract concessions and reduce external pressure. The release of the American lawyer and political activist of Belarusian origin Yury Ziankovich in April 2025, a move widely interpreted as a signal to Washington, and the subsequent discreet visit made by a US envoy in May, laid the groundwork for the June releases and exemplified this calculated approach. Some commentators note that these amnesties are often timed around symbolic dates, such as the Day of National Unity, to project an image of national reconciliation and regime generosity. Yet, they also argue that these gestures are carefully staged performances rather than genuine reforms, requiring public expressions of gratitude from those released and accompanied by ongoing repression. The 'revolving door' nature of political imprisonment in Belarus – where releases are balanced by new arrests – ensures continued control and intimidation. This strategy allows the regime to deflect international criticism while testing western willingness to engage diplomatically without demanding substantive change. Selectivity and opposition dynamics Valer Karbalevich, another prominent Belarusian political analyst, has emphasized that the choice to release Tsikhanouski but keep other high-profile prisoners detained is a deliberate tactic to sow uncertainty within opposition ranks while maintaining leverage over international interlocutors. The regime's selectivity in prisoner releases is particularly telling. While Tsikhanouski and several foreign nationals – citizens of Poland, Latvia, Japan, Estonia and Sweden – were freed, other prominent detainees remain imprisoned. Among them is Andrzej Poczobut, the Belarusian journalist of Polish ethnicity and a minority activist whose continued detention has become a major irritant in Minsk's relations with Warsaw. The refusal to release Poczobut signals the regime's unwillingness to appear weak in the face of Polish pressure, even as it seeks to unsettle the opposition by freeing Tsikhanouski. Equally revealing is the regime's choice to release Tsikhanouski but not other high-profile political prisoners such as Viktar Babaryka or Maria Kalesnikava. Babaryka, the former banker and presidential hopeful, commands broad appeal among the urban middle class and is seen as a technocratic alternative to Lukashenka. His continued imprisonment reflects the regime's fear of empowering a figure capable of rallying both domestic and elite support, potentially threatening Lukashenka's narrative of indispensability. Kalesnikava, by contrast, has emerged as a symbol of uncompromising resistance. Her defiant stance during her arrest and imprisonment has inspired both domestic activists and international supporters. Releasing her could reinvigorate the protest movement's moral core and international visibility. By contrast, Tsikhanouski's political profile is closely linked to his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's leadership in exile, making his release a calculated move to introduce uncertainty within the opposition without immediately strengthening its organizational capacity or international standing. This selective clemency underscores the regime's ongoing strategy of dividing and weakening the opposition by manipulating the fates of its most influential figures. Opposition reactions and Tsikhanouski's intentions Within the democratic forces, Tsikhanouski's release has generated a mixture of relief and apprehension. Since becoming free, Tsikhanouski has publicly affirmed that he has no intention of interfering with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's leadership of the democratic movement in exile, emphasizing the importance of unity in the face of ongoing repression. He has also expressed a firm commitment to advocating for the release of 'many, if not all' political prisoners, signalling that his focus will be on supporting detainees and their families while helping to rebuild opposition networks inside Belarus. Though cautious about outlining a direct political role or challenging existing leadership structures, Tsikhanouski's renewed presence injects both hope and uncertainty into the landscape of the opposition, a dynamic the regime is likely to exploit. Some experts have already stressed that only sustained multilateral pressure and coordinated international advocacy can transform prisoner releases from mere symbolic acts into meaningful progress. The international community must resist the temptation to reward Lukashenka's calculated concessions and instead focus on comprehensive strategies that confront systemic repression and bolster Belarusian civil society Between gestures and genuine change The release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski is undeniably a moment of relief for many within Belarus and the international community. Yet, this gesture should not be mistaken for a genuine opening or a sign of the regime's willingness to embrace democratic reform. Instead, it fits squarely within Lukashenka's long-standing playbook of managing opposition and international pressure through carefully calibrated concessions designed to maintain his grip on power. By freeing Tsikhanouski but continuing to detain other key figures, the regime is not only manipulating perceptions abroad but also sowing discord within an opposition usually characterized by unity, which has been one of its few sources of resilience. This selective leniency risks fracturing the opposition's effectiveness at a critical juncture, playing into the regime's hands. Moreover, the ongoing repression of hundreds of political prisoners underscores that the fundamental structures of authoritarian control remain intact. From my perspective, the international community must recognize this release for what it is: a tactical move rather than a breakthrough. Western governments should welcome humanitarian progress but remain vigilant against allowing Lukashenka to use such gestures as leverage to weaken sanctions or legitimize his regime. The opposition, meanwhile, faces the urgent task of reaffirming its unity and strategic coherence to resist the regime's divide-and-rule tactics. Ultimately, in Belarus, freedom remains a contested and weaponized concept. The release of political prisoners like Tsikhanouski offers a glimpse of hope but also a reminder of the regime's enduring capacity for manipulation. Meaningful change will require sustained pressure, principled solidarity, and a refusal to be placated by symbolic gestures alone. Hanna Vasilevich holds a Doctoral Degree in International Relations and European Studies. Her research interests include state ideology and propaganda, identity issues, inter-ethnic relations, linguistic diversity as well as diaspora and kin-state relations. New Eastern Europe is a reader supported publication. Please support us and help us reach our goal of $10,000! We are nearly there. Donate by clicking on the button below. Alyaksandr Lukashenka, belarus, political prisoners, Sviatlana Tsikhanouksaya
The Star
02-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Don't relax pressure on Lukashenko, freed Belarus dissident tells the West
Belarusian opposition figure Syarhei Tsikhanouski, who was recently released from a Belarus jail, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki VILNIUS (Reuters) -The West needs to keep up pressure on Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to try to force democratic change, newly released dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski told Reuters. Tsikhanouski, who walked free last month after more than five years in prison, said now was not the time to contemplate easing sanctions on Lukashenko, a Russian ally who has ruled the former Soviet state for 31 years. Over the past year, Lukashenko has released more than 300 opposition figures and activists from jail. Another 16, including some convicted of "extremism," were pardoned on Wednesday. Tsikhanouski, who had attempted to run in the 2020 presidential election, is, by far, the most prominent opponent that Lukashenko has freed to date. The move raises questions about what he wants in return, and how the West should respond. "He should be told: you will face even bigger pressure if you don't stop repressions... The release of prisoners is not enough: he needs to stop further jailings, and sanctions should only be relieved if he agrees to undertake some political reforms," Tsikhanouski, 46, said in an interview in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. "The West has a chance to achieve a democratic country" in Belarus, he added. Lukashenko says there are no political prisoners in Belarus and that those behind bars are law-breakers who chose their own fate. His spokeswoman has said he freed Tsikhanouski "strictly on humanitarian grounds with the aim of family reunification". 'NEED TO PUNCH THROUGH' Belarus, a country of just 9 million people, is of strategic importance because it borders Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, allowed President Vladimir Putin to attack Ukraine from Belarus during the 2022 Russian invasion, and later agreed to host Russian nuclear warheads. The trigger for Tsikhanouski's release was a trip to Belarus by U.S. presidential envoy Keith Kellogg, the most senior U.S. official to visit the country in more than five years. Freed together with 13 others, he was driven across the border into Lithuania for an emotional reunion with his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of the Belarus opposition. "By releasing me, (Lukashenko) indicates he is ready to release people whom he considers his personal enemies," said Tsikhanouski. "I was jailed by him to shut me up. Now he released a strong and armed person – because my word is my weapon ... I plan to use it, so that the regime collapses, Belarus becomes democratic and joins the European family." A firebrand who captured the imagination of many in 2020 with his social media videos mocking the leadership, Tsikhanouski says his goal was to encourage alternative points of view inside Belarus, where government opponents risk jail. Human rights activists say around 1,150 critics of the government remain behind bars. Many Belarusians have "lost belief and enthusiasm," Tsikhanouski said. "We need to punch through... The war needs to be fought inside the heads of the people." Looking gaunt, he told Reuters his weight has fallen to just 77 kilograms (170 pounds) from 135 kg when he entered prison. At a press conference the day after his release, he broke down in sobs as he recounted how his 9-year-old daughter had not recognised him on his return. "I start feeling tired by lunch time. I need a nap," he said when asked how he was recuperating. "But the love of my close ones, my wife, the children, it helps my psychological health. I am recovering fast." (Reporting by Andrius Sytas in Vilnius; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Bernadette Baum)
Straits Times
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Don't relax pressure on Lukashenko, freed Belarus dissident tells the West
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Belarusian opposition figure Syarhei Tsikhanouski, who was recently released from a Belarus jail, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Vilnius, Lithuania, July 1, 2025. REUTERS/Kuba Stezycki VILNIUS - The West needs to keep up pressure on Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko to try to force democratic change, newly released dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski told Reuters. Tsikhanouski, who walked free last month after more than five years in prison, said now was not the time to contemplate easing sanctions on Lukashenko, a Russian ally who has ruled the former Soviet state for 31 years. Over the past year, Lukashenko has released more than 300 opposition figures and activists from jail. Another 16, including some convicted of "extremism," were pardoned on Wednesday. Tsikhanouski, who had attempted to run in the 2020 presidential election, is, by far, the most prominent opponent that Lukashenko has freed to date. The move raises questions about what he wants in return, and how the West should respond. "He should be told: you will face even bigger pressure if you don't stop repressions... The release of prisoners is not enough: he needs to stop further jailings, and sanctions should only be relieved if he agrees to undertake some political reforms," Tsikhanouski, 46, said in an interview in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. "The West has a chance to achieve a democratic country" in Belarus, he added. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore and Cambodia to expand collaboration in renewable energy, carbon markets and agri-trade Singapore Ong Beng Seng's court hearing rescheduled one day before he was expected to plead guilty Singapore Three hair salons raided in clampdown on touting, vice, drugs in Geylang and Joo Chiat Singapore The romance continues: Former 'Singapore girl', 77, returns to Osaka Expo after 55 years Singapore GrabCab, Singapore's newest taxi operator, hits the roads with over 40 cabs to be rolled out in July Singapore Police looking into claim by driver who caused teen's death that he was an NUS student Singapore Man on trial for raping drunken woman after offering to drive her and her friend home Singapore 3 weeks' jail for man who touched himself on train, flicked bodily fluid on female passenger Lukashenko says there are no political prisoners in Belarus and that those behind bars are law-breakers who chose their own fate. His spokeswoman has said he freed Tsikhanouski "strictly on humanitarian grounds with the aim of family reunification". 'NEED TO PUNCH THROUGH' Belarus, a country of just 9 million people, is of strategic importance because it borders Russia, Ukraine and NATO members Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. Lukashenko, a close Russian ally, allowed President Vladimir Putin to attack Ukraine from Belarus during the 2022 Russian invasion, and later agreed to host Russian nuclear warheads. The trigger for Tsikhanouski's release was a trip to Belarus by U.S. presidential envoy Keith Kellogg, the most senior U.S. official to visit the country in more than five years. Freed together with 13 others, he was driven across the border into Lithuania for an emotional reunion with his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of the Belarus opposition. "By releasing me, (Lukashenko) indicates he is ready to release people whom he considers his personal enemies," said Tsikhanouski. "I was jailed by him to shut me up. Now he released a strong and armed person – because my word is my weapon ... I plan to use it, so that the regime collapses, Belarus becomes democratic and joins the European family." A firebrand who captured the imagination of many in 2020 with his social media videos mocking the leadership, Tsikhanouski says his goal was to encourage alternative points of view inside Belarus, where government opponents risk jail. Human rights activists say around 1,150 critics of the government remain behind bars. Many Belarusians have "lost belief and enthusiasm," Tsikhanouski said. "We need to punch through... The war needs to be fought inside the heads of the people." Looking gaunt, he told Reuters his weight has fallen to just 77 kilograms (170 pounds) from 135 kg when he entered prison. At a press conference the day after his release, he broke down in sobs as he recounted how his 9-year-old daughter had not recognised him on his return. "I start feeling tired by lunch time. I need a nap," he said when asked how he was recuperating. "But the love of my close ones, my wife, the children, it helps my psychological health. I am recovering fast." REUTERS
Novaya Gazeta Europe
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
‘You're going to die here'. The story of Lukashenko's personal enemy Siarhei Tsikhanouski and his unexpected release from a brutal penal colony — Novaya Gazeta Europe
Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a personal enemy of Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko for sparking a political reawakening in 2020, has been released from prison. This unlikely turn of events is in part due to behind-the-scenes dialogue between Minsk and Washington. Tsikhanouski's quest to create a country worth living in irrevocably changed Belarus by forging, with his wife, an opposition to Lukashenko's brutal regime. Going on tour Tsikhanouski is from Homyel, a city in southeastern Belarus. Before becoming a blogger and running for president, he organised concerts and ran nightclubs, mobile phone stores and a video studio. But by the time he turned 40, then married with two children, he had become disillusioned with Lukashenko's quarter-century stranglehold on power, and wanted to see change in his country. So, in 2019, Tsikhanouski created a YouTube channel called 'A Country Worth Living In', and drove around Belarus highlighting the rotten pipes and potholed roads, speaking with victims of fraud and raising awareness of the plight of ordinary people. Tsikhanouski's charm and good-nature allowed people from all walks of life to open up to him, and his YouTube channel was soon one of the most-watched independent broadcasts in the country. Lukashenko's regime was not impressed. Tsikhanouski's minibus was endlessly stopped by traffic police, and he was sporadically jailed for short periods, seemingly for no reason. Tsikhanouski at a campaign rally in Minsk, Belarus, 24 May 2020. Photo: Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters / Scanpix / LETA Stop the cockroach! In the spring of 2020, shortly after a stint in detention, Tsikhanouski announced that he was running for president. He started calling Lukashenko a cockroach and took to the streets carrying slippers. 'Stop the cockroach!' became a popular slogan for political discontent in Belarus, as Tsikhanouski, who was running for president during the Covid pandemic, wore a cap and mask emblazoned with the words 'A Country Worth Living In.' Lukashenko was not a fan of Tsikhanouski's campaign. On 6 May 2020, the day after Tsikhanouski applied to participate in the election, riot police detained him for holding 'unauthorised meetings' with his subscribers. He was repeatedly detained for 15 days at a time, the standard length of detention for a misdemeanour. Tsikhanouskaya applied to stand in the election herself, and Tsikhanouski supported his wife's election campaign as soon as he was released. This was meant to stop him from formally registering to run in the August election. But his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, submitted the paperwork for him. The Central Election Commission (CEC) said it didn't have Tsikhanouski's signature. So, an hour before the deadline, Tsikhanouskaya applied to stand in the election herself, and Tsikhanouski supported his wife's election campaign as soon as he was released. Days later, Lukashenko attacked the Tsikhanouski family on a visit to the Minsk Tractor Plant. He called Siarhei 'slimy' and said of Sviatlana: 'She knows no one in Belarus will vote for her… Our constitution isn't supposed to be upheld by a woman. And our society isn't ready to vote for one.' On 29 May 2020, Tsikhanouski travelled to the western city of Hrodna to collect signatures for his wife's campaign. He spoke to supporters, some of whom played guitar and carried a giant cockroach-crushing slipper. Suddenly the police appeared. Tsikhanouski's supporters surrounded him, in what seemed like an attempt to prevent another arbitrary detention, but in the jostling, one officer fell. Within minutes, Tsikhanouski and his cameraman were detained by riot police. The next day, the Interior Ministry reported that a criminal case had been opened against Tsikhanouski for violence against its officers. A couple of days later, security forces said they had found $900,000 in cash at the Tsikhanouski family dacha. Minsk Tractor Plant employees protest the election results, Minsk, Belarus, 14 August 2020. Photo: Tatiana Zenkovich / EPA Personal enemy Lukashenko later admitted that Tsikhanouski had been detained on his orders. Tsikhanouski stayed in prison for the next five years. But Tsikhanouski's arrest only increased the country's discontent. After the 9 August election, the CEC declared Lukashenko the winner with 80.1% of the vote. Tsikhanouskaya received 10.1%. The opposition and independent observers reported massive falsifications, and Tsikhanouskaya refused to recognise the result. Unprecedented protests broke out across Belarus, with hundreds of thousands demanding free and fair elections. A wave of political repression was unleashed against activists, independent media and opposition figures. Tsikhanouskaya was forced to flee to Lithuania, but the protests went on. Thousands were detained and beaten, and a wave of political repression was unleashed against activists, independent media and opposition figures. Tsikhanouski spent the summer of 2020 in a KGB prison. That autumn, with the protests still in full swing, Lukashenko met with several imprisoned opposition figures, including Tsikhanouski. Tsikhanouski was then charged with organising the protests, and the Investigative Committee said that his real objective was to unleash a 'street war'. He was sentenced to 18 years in a penal colony. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at a polling station in Minsk, Belarus, 9 August 2020. Photo: Sergey Gapon / AFP / Scanpix / LETA Years of solitude Even imprisoned, Tsikhanouski remained a problem for the Lukashenko regime. Tsikhanouski was sentenced to an additional 1.5 years for 'disobedience to the penal colony administration', and transferred to a prison where he spent three years in solitary confinement. 'No letters, calls, lawyers — nothing,' he recalled. He wasn't even allowed to see a priest. Tsikhanouski was forced to endure extreme conditions that have likely caused severe long-term health problems. He lost about half of his body weight. 'There was mandatory cleaning four times a day: twice for an hour and twice for half an hour. If you're not scrubbing the whole time, they send you to solitary. … It's a nightmare. It's torture by any other name,' he recalls. The guards would say: 'You won't just serve the 20 years we've already given you. We'll try you again. You'll never get out of here. You're going to die here.' All contact with Tsikhanouski was cut off in March 2023. Tsikhanouski, with back to camera, in court in Homyel, Belarus, 14 December 2021. Photo: Sergey Kholodilin / BelTA / AP / Scanpix / LETA Deal or diplomacy? The regime began periodically releasing small groups of political prisoners late last year. But high-profile opponents, including Tsikhanouski, remained where they were for any future trade-offs with the West. Backstage negotiations between Minsk and the White House began in early 2025, after US President Donald Trump's inauguration. In February, Christopher Smith, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, went to Minsk for what was the first visit by a high-ranking American diplomat in five years. The American delegation met Lukashenko and Ivan Tertel, the head of the Belarusian KGB. The first deal led to the KGB handing over three prisoners to the Americans in a village on the border with Lithuania. It was the first time the regime had released such a high-profile opposition figure. Washington was reportedly considering easing sanctions against Belarus in exchange for the release of the remaining political prisoners. On 21 June, a trip to Belarus by US special envoy Keith Kellogg apparently sealed the deal. Kellogg met Lukashenko and 14 political prisoners, including Tsikhanouski, were released that same day. The prisoners were taken to the Lithuanian border and handed over to US and Lithuanian representatives with bags over their heads. Shortly after that, Tsikhanouski reunited with his wife and children. The news of Tsikhanouski's release sent shockwaves through Belarusian society. State propaganda said the decision to release Tsikhanouski was made for humanitarian reasons, which Lukashenko had done at Trump's request. It was the first time the regime had released such a high-profile opposition figure. Alexander Lukashenko meets US Special Envoy Keith Kellogg, Minsk, Belarus, 21 June 2025. Photo: Lukashenko press service 'I'm your dad' Tsikhanouski appeared in front of dozens of TV cameras at Tsikhanouskaya's press office in Vilnius on 22 June in a scenario that would have seemed impossible just 24 hours earlier. 'I still can't believe it,' he told reporters. His appearance shocked many. The tall, strong, broad-shouldered, energetic, even cocky man was a shadow of his former self. His cheeks were sunken. His voice was soft, sometimes hoarse. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed. He tried to be light-hearted, joking that he had forgotten how to hold a microphone. The audience laughed with him. But when he spoke about seeing his daughter for the first time in five years, his humour vanished. 'My wife said: 'Your daddy's here.' My daughter ran towards me and we were both in tears,' he said, his voice breaking. He covered his face with his hands and sobbed. His wife continued speaking for him: 'Our daughter didn't recognise her dad. … He had to say: 'I'm your dad,' so that she knew it was really him.' Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and husband Siarhei at a press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, 22 June 2025. Photo: Mindaugas Kulbis / AP Photo / Scanpix / LETA Alive and kicking World leaders were soon tripping over each other to welcome him back to freedom. But releasing one of Lukashenko's 'personal enemies' doesn't spell the end of his dictatorship. Many wonder why he released Tsikhanouski and not, say, Viktar Babaryka, who also ran for the presidency. Is this Lukashenko trying to split the opposition in exile? The prison administration had already tried to turn Tsikhanouski against his wife, he told reporters. Tsikhanouski declared: 'Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, my wife, is the leader of the Belarusian opposition.' Tsikhanouski is likely to play a more independent role as a public figure, a journalist and a symbol of change. But his name has now gone down in Belarusian history. The blogger that terrified a dictatorial regime is now a free man once again.
DW
26-06-2025
- Politics
- DW
Belarus: Tsikhanouski says his release gives people hope – DW – 06/26/2025
In his first big interview after his release, Belarussian opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski tells DW about the conditions in prison, his wife's transformation and hope for the people of Belarus. One of the most well-known Belarusian political prisoners, blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski, was released on June 21 following a visit to Belarus by Keith Kellogg, President Trump's special envoy for Ukraine. Tsikhanouski gave his first big interview since being freed to DW's Alexandra Boguslawskaja, who had also interviewed him five years ago in Belarus, shortly before his arrest. Tsikhanouski was detained in May 2020, after being denied registration as a presidential candidate challenging Alexander Lukashenko and later convicted to 18 years in prison. His wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya assumed the candidacy and ran for presidency in his stead. She was forced to flee Belarus after Lukashenko claimed victory in an election which observers label as rigged. Tsikhaniuskaya has been living in Vilnius ever since and became the leader of Belarussion democratic opposition in Tsikhanouski: I couldn't believe it. I spent five years in a solitary confinement cell, sometimes it was three square meters, sometimes six, and sometimes even 18. And then, when you finally see open space around you, you're overwhelmed by emotions. The doors of the bus opened and I saw Svetlana. I couldn't believe it and had tears in my eyes. I hugged her and said, "Let's go somewhere.' We found a quiet spot to talk in private. Honestly, even now, I still can't believe it. The emotions were so intense, the tears just kept coming. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 videoThe regime used to imprison people on supposedly non-political charges, things like alleged economic crimes. Since I'm a businessman, I thought they'd give me three or four years on some fake economic charges, and only after the elections. But I never expected to scare them so much by pushing for real change. Once they realized that, they decided to lock me up preemptively, silence and bad-mouth me, and keep me behind not being able to talk to anyone — literally no one. Not hearing a single kind word from anyone because all you ever hear are insults, threats, and negativity from the guards. They try to convince you that you're nobody, that you've been forgotten, that everyone has given up, and no one is fighting for you anymore. But I didn't believe them. I knew that many Belarusians supported me — I had seen that support on the streets with my own eyes. Thinking about my family was hard because I had no information about them. I had the chance to read books, and I read constantly. It helped me take my mind off everything as I waited for the day I'd be freed. I knew that day would of course, it's a metaphor. The US administration has been preparing for the release of Belarusian political prisoners for a few years. The groundwork has been laid — I've heard this partly from diplomats involved in our release and from other sources. The prosecutor visited me in prison last year, during the Biden administration. So the preparations were already underway, but under Donald Trump, this effort really picked up pace. The thing is, Trump was planning to resolve the Ukraine issue quickly, which would lead to lifting sanctions on Russia. Since Belarus and Russia are part of a Union State, if the sanctions on Russia were lifted, the Lukashenko regime would automatically gain full access to all opportunities — so sanctions on Belarus would have to be lifted too. And if that happens, the political prisoners would have to be released as not about Trump personally. It's about the big politics where everything is connected and you can't just solve the issue of Belarussian political prisoners alone. It's definitely an important issue, but it's not as big as the war in Ukraine. That's a nightmare, a tragedy for all of Europe. And I think European officials and diplomats are doing the right thing by ignoring the regime. As long as political prisoners remain behind bars, there should be no dialogue with that time, I was still in pre-trial detention. My lawyers were visiting me, and I had newspaper subscriptions, so I found out right away. I couldn't believe it. I still don't understand how Putin, how the Russians could invade another country under the pretext that some Russians in Ukraine or the Russian language were under threat. If you really believe Russians are being mistreated, then bring them to your country. Build homes for them, give them pensions. Why kill so many people? After that, I stopped receiving any information at all, so I really don't know what's been going on. Now, I'm just beginning to take it all in and try to understand it. But one thing is clear to me: I fully support President Zelenskyy. He's facing an incredibly difficult situation, and we all need to stand behind him — even if he makes a mistake here and I didn't have to get to know her all over again. But honestly, I was surprised at how much she changed. She became such a businesslike woman — she wasn't a business lady before. But now she's so professional and driven. But at home, nothing has really changed. With the kids and with me, it's the same. The only difference is she's just completely exhausted all the not just that it could — it will. Absolutely, it will. And I think very soon you'll see us in many cities in Germany and in other European capitals as well. As for me personally — you'll definitely see me on at all. I asked my wife the same question — and despite everything we've been through, she said she doesn't regret anything either. We couldn't have done it any other way. She had to submit documents as a presidential candidate in my stead. And then she couldn't but fight for me, once her husband was thrown in prison for nothing. She knew I wasn't a criminal — and not fighting wasn't an option.
