Belarusian opposition leader Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who was imprisoned in 2020 after attempting to challenge President Alexander Lukashenko, has been released from jail after five years, his wife Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced on Saturday.
Tsikhanouski arrived in Vilnius, Lithuania, alongside 13 other political prisoners who were also freed. The release followed a rare visit by U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg to Minsk, where he met with President Lukashenko hours before the announcement.
A video shared by Tsikhanouskaya showed the couple embracing, with her expressing profound joy and gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump, envoy Kellogg, and European allies for their role in securing the release. She emphasized that the work is not yet finished, noting that over 1,100 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarus.
Tsikhanouski, a popular blogger and activist, was sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2021 on charges including organizing riots and inciting hatred. His arrest and imprisonment sparked widespread protests in Belarus and propelled his wife into the opposition leadership role, as she ran for president in his stead during the disputed 2020 election.
This development marks a significant moment in Belarusian politics amid ongoing international pressure on Lukashenko’s regime and efforts to promote democratic reforms in the country.