Belarus opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski freed from jail, says wife

Tsikhanouski’s apprehension and activism sparked unprecedented protests successful Belarus, challenging Lukashenko’s decades-long rule.

Belarus absorption person Siarhei Tsikhanouski has been released from situation aft 5 years, his woman Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya said successful a station connected X.

Tsikhanouskaya, who took implicit the absorption origin aft her husband’s jailing, shared a video of him connected Saturday, smiling and embracing her aft his merchandise with the caption: “FREE”.

“My hubby Siarhei is free! It’s hard to picture the joyousness successful my heart,” she wrote connected X, thanking United States President Donald Trump, US envoy Keith Kellogg, and European allies.

“We’re not done. 1150 governmental prisoners stay down bars. All indispensable beryllium released,” she added.

My hubby Siarhei is free! It’s hard to picture the joyousness successful my heart.

Thank you, 🇺🇸 @POTUS, @SPE_Kellogg, @JohnPCoale, DAS Christopher W. Smith, @StateDept & our 🇪🇺 allies, for each your efforts.

We’re not done. 1150 governmental prisoners stay down bars. All indispensable beryllium released. pic.twitter.com/MhngqBHFq3

— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) June 21, 2025

Tsikhanouski, 46, is present successful Lithuania’s superior Vilnius, a spokesperson for his woman said.

A full of 14 prisoners were released, the spokesperson added. Besides Tsikhanouski, 5 Belarus nationals, 3 Poles, 2 Latvians, 2 Japanese and 1 Swede were released, Lithuania said.

Among those released was erstwhile Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty writer Igor Karnei, who was arrested successful 2023 for participating successful an “extremist” organisation.

According to the Lithuanian overseas curate Kestutis Budrys, those released person present been transferred from Belarus to Lithuania, wherever they are receiving “proper care”.

The announcement came conscionable hours aft Lukashenko met US peculiar envoy Keith Kellogg successful Minsk, the highest-profile sojourn of a US authoritative to the authoritarian authorities successful years.

Local media reports said the merchandise came conscionable hours aft the Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met Trump’s Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg successful Minsk.

Tsikhanouski had planned to tally against incumbent Lukashenko successful the August 2020 statesmanlike election. A charismatic activist, helium coined a caller insult for Lukashenko erstwhile helium called him a “cockroach” and his run slogan was “Stop the cockroach”. His supporters waved slippers, often utilized to termination the insects, astatine protests.

But Tsikhanouski was arrested and detained weeks earlier the vote. His wife,Tsikhanouskaya – a governmental novice astatine the clip of his arrest, took his spot successful the polls.

Tsikhanouski was sentenced successful 2021 to 18 years successful situation for “organising riots” and “inciting hatred” and past to 18 months other for “insubordination”.

Belarus, ruled by Lukashenko since 1994, has outlawed each absorption movements and is the lone European state to clasp the decease punishment arsenic a punishment.

There are much than 1,000 governmental prisoners successful the country, according to the Belarusian quality rights radical Viasna.

Source:

Al Jazeera and quality agencies