Sergei Tikhanovsky, the husband of Belarus' prominent opposition leader, has made an emotional plea to U.S. President Donald Trump, asking him to demand the release of political prisoners still locked up in Belarus. Tikhanovsky, who was unexpectedly freed on Saturday after spending five years in solitary confinement, reunited with his wife in Lithuania. This release came alongside the exodus of thirteen other political prisoners while U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg visited Minsk for talks with Belarus' authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko.
In a tearful press conference, Tikhanovsky shared the harrowing details of his imprisonment, where he endured isolation without contact with the outside world. He described the conditions as torturous, lacking even the basic necessities. “For five years, I had no letters or calls. It's a nightmare,” he stated.
Tikhanovsky, who had been gearing up to run for president against Lukashenko in 2020 before his arrest, emphasized the need for support from international leaders like Trump to advocate for more than 1,000 political prisoners still incarcerated in Belarus. “With one word, he could help free all political prisoners. I ask him to say that word now,” he implored, highlighting the power U.S. leadership holds.
His wife, Tikhanovskaya, has been actively campaigning for change in Belarus after taking up the opposition mantle in her husband’s absence. Despite her tireless efforts, she noted that Lukashenko has received minimal benefits for releasing prisoners, equating it to a diplomatic maneuver after a long period of U.S. disapproval over his government’s actions.
The couple's struggle reflects a broader movement against Lukashenko's regime, which has led to the exile of hundreds of thousands of Belarusians and the imprisonment of tens of thousands. Tikhanovsky called on those still in Belarus to remain resolute, offering himself as a symbol of hope for change.
