Belarusian Opposition Icon Tikhanovskys Surprising Release: A Beacon of Change

Belarus’s leading imprisoned opposition figure, Sergei Tikhanovsky, was unexpectedly released on Saturday along with more than a dozen other political prisoners, an event described as a «symbol of hope.»

His spouse, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who became the face of the opposition following his imprisonment, acknowledged the assistance of the United States in this development and expressed gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Tikhanovsky, aged 46, spent over five years behind bars. He was arrested weeks prior to the August 2020 presidential elections, where he intended to challenge the current Belarusian president, Alexander Lukashenko.

Svetlana, who was relatively new to politics at the time of his arrest, stepped in to represent him during the election campaign. On Saturday, she shared a video on social media showcasing her embracing Tikhanovsky post-release, captioned simply: «FREE.»

«It’s tough to put into words the happiness I feel,» she stated in a post on X.

Thirteen others were also released, including Radio Liberty journalist Igor Karnei, who had been imprisoned since 2023 for his involvement with what was deemed an «extremist» group.

They have since been moved from Belarus to Lithuania, where, according to Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, they are receiving «appropriate care.»

This announcement followed a meeting in Minsk between Lukashenko and U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg, marking the highest-profile visit by a U.S. official to the authoritarian nation in years.

Lukashenko has been in power since 1994, and his government has banned all legitimate opposition parties. Belarus is also the sole European country that still enforces the death penalty.

As reported by Viasna, over 1,000 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarusian prisons.

Swedish-Belarusian Galina Krasnyanskaya, who was arrested in 2023 for allegedly supporting Ukraine, was also among those freed, as confirmed by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson.

**’Deepest Joy’**

This release is part of a broader thaw in relations between the United States and Belarus’s primary ally, Russia, under Trump’s administration.

Since taking office, the Republican president has engaged in direct discussions with Vladimir Putin, moving away from the previous administration’s strategy of isolating the Russian leader.

For years, Tikhanovsky was held without communication, and in 2023, his wife was informed that he had «died.»

In a video released by Viasna on Saturday, he looked nearly unrecognizable, with a shaved head and a gaunt appearance.

In 2021, Tikhanovsky was sentenced to 18 years for «organizing riots» and «inciting hatred,» followed by an additional 18 months for «insubordination.»

A charismatic leader, Tikhanovsky angered authorities by labeling Lukashenko a «cockroach,» and his campaign slogan was «Stop the Cockroach.»

Lukashenko claimed a sweeping victory in the 2020 elections, a result that ignited widespread protests that were violently quelled by officials.

Earlier this year, the Belarusian autocrat secured a record seventh term in elections that were widely condemned as a sham.

The news of Tikhanovsky’s release was welcomed by fellow Belarusian activists and foreign politicians alike.

Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski stated that the «free world» needed Tikhanovsky, expressing his heartfelt joy to Tikhanovskaya and her family on X.

Pavel Latushko, a former Belarusian culture minister who supported the 2020 protests against Lukashenko, remarked that all released individuals had been imprisoned unlawfully and celebrated Tikhanovsky’s release as a significant moment.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Tikhanovsky’s release and urged Belarus to liberate its other political prisoners.

«This is wonderful news and a powerful symbol of hope for all political prisoners enduring suffering under the oppressive Lukashenko regime,» she shared on X.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul labeled Tikhanovsky’s release as «incredibly positive news,» while emphasizing the need to remember the many other detainees in Belarus. «Lukashenko must finally release them,» he added on X.