- Category
- Latest news
Belarus Frees Opposition Leader Tsikhanouski and 13 Other Political Prisoners
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
On June 21, Belarus released 14 political prisoners, including prominent opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski. The release follows a visit to Minsk by Keith Kellogg, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump for Ukraine-related issues.
According to Belarusian outlet Nasha Niva and other media, the release was not officially confirmed by Belarusian authorities, but was announced by Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and her advisor Franak Viačorka.
🔴 Belarusian blogger Sergei Tikhanovsky has been released from prison along with at least 13 other political prisoners, local media report.
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) June 21, 2025
Tikhanovsky was jailed in 2020 after declaring his intention to run against Lukashenko in a presidential election. pic.twitter.com/TFmnvkCbtL
The released individuals were reportedly welcomed outside the country, likely in Lithuania.
Among those freed are former university lecturer Natallia Dulinа, journalist Ihar Karniej of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, activist Akihiro Haevsky-Hanada, and 69-year-old Halina Krasnianskaya, who holds both Belarusian and Swedish citizenship.
Also released were 21-year-old activist Kiryl Balakhonau, convicted in connection with the “Belarusian National Shield” case, and Siarhei Sheleh, a 64-year-old pharmaceutical manager who received one of the longest sentences — 8.5 years — for allegedly donating funds to opposition causes.
Siarhei Tsikhanouski was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2021 after being detained ahead of the 2020 presidential election, where he intended to run against Alexander Lukashenko.
After his disqualification, his wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, entered the race and later emerged as the de facto leader of the democratic opposition in exile.
John Cole, deputy to envoy Keith Kellogg, stated on social media that the release was made possible due to “President Trump’s strong leadership,” and thanked the Lithuanian government for its cooperation.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya confirmed her husband’s release on the platform X, noting that over 1,150 political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus.
The Belarusian government has not issued any official statement on the release or the conditions under which the individuals were freed.
Earlier, Reuters reported that Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellogg, was planning a visit to Belarus to meet Alexander Lukashenko. The trip was described as an attempt to revive stalled peace talks between Ukraine and Russia and would mark the highest-level US visit to Minsk in years.
