‘Positive step after prolonged injustice’ – Kallas reacts to Siarhei Tsikhanousky release
The release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski, the husband of Sviatlana Tsikhanouvskaya, leader of Belarusian democratic forces in exile, and 13 other Belarusian political prisoners marks “a positive step after prolonged injustice”, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas posted on X on 21 June.
Kallas also welcomed the US engagement that made the release possible and shared the joy of families reunited. “But all political prisoners in Belarus must be freed,” she wrote.
Forty-six–year-old Siarhei Tsikhanousky spent five years in prison. As a popular blogger, he expressed his desire to run for president in Belarus in 2020, but was detained and unable to submit his documents in person. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, then put herself forward as a candidate. After his release from custody, Siarhei Tsikhanousky headed his wife’s campaign headquarters, but was detained again on 29 May 2020. In December 2021, he was sentenced to 19.6 years in a strict regime prison for organising mass riots, inciting hatred or discord, and a number of other charges.
According to independent observers, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya could have won enough votes to advance to the second round, but the election results were rigged. On 11 August 2020, Lukashenko’s regime deported Tsikhanouskaya from the country. Since then, she has been living in Lithuania, where she heads the headquarters of the opposition democratic forces.
“Siarhei’s release is a deeply emotional moment for my family, but we know too many others are still suffering,” Sviatlana Tsikhanouvskaya replied to Kaja Kallas’ post on X. “We must keep going — until every political prisoner in Belarus is free and no one lives in fear.”
During his first press conference in Vilnius, Tsikhanousky also thanked the European Commission and its President Ursula von der Leyen for their assistance in securing his release.
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