Siarhei Tsikhanouski, a Belarusian dissident who has spent over five years in political imprisonment, is now demanding urgent international action to free the remaining 1,150 political prisoners in Belarus. In a video message delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tsikhanouski detailed his harrowing experience of torture, solitary confinement, and systemic abuse within the country’s prison system. He claimed that his survival was due to the ‘international solidarity’ and the efforts of the Trump administration, which led to his release through U.S. mediation with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an exiled opposition leader, expressed gratitude for the U.S. efforts but emphasized the need for the release of all political prisoners. The UN Human Rights Council has echoed these calls, with its rapporteur, Nils Muižnieks, noting the continued deterioration of human rights in Belarus and the urgent need to address the plight of prisoners.
Belarusian dissident Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who was recently freed after more than five years of imprisonment, has called on the international community to take action to secure the release of the remaining 1,150 political prisoners in the country. In a video address delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Tsikhanouski shared the brutal conditions he endured in Belarusian prisons, including prolonged solitary confinement, psychological torture, and the systematic use of forced silence to prevent communication with family. He described how his survival was made possible by the global solidarity of the international community and the efforts of the U.S. administration, particularly through U.S. Special Envoy on Ukraine and Russia, General Keith Kellogg, who mediated his release with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Tsikhanouski credited the Trump administration for his freedom, stating that without its intervention, he would not have been able to survive the ordeal of imprisonment.
Tsikhanouski’s wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an exiled opposition leader and widely recognized by some countries as the president-elect of Belarus, expressed deep gratitude for the U.S. efforts that led to her husband’s release. She described the emotional relief of reuniting with her family in Lithuania, but also underscored the ongoing need for international action. In a message posted on X, she wrote, “My husband Siarhei is free! It’s hard to describe the joy in my heart. We’re not done. 1,150 political prisoners remain behind bars. All must be released.” Tsikhanouskaya also highlighted the physical toll of her husband’s incarceration, noting that he had lost over 41% of his body weight during his time in prison, dropping from 298 pounds to just 174 pounds. She emphasized the importance of continuing the fight for the release of all political prisoners as part of a broader struggle for justice and human rights.
The UN Human Rights Council has expressed concern over the human rights situation in Belarus, with Nils Muižnieks, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Situation in Belarus, warning that the conditions in prisons and the use of repressive laws have continued to deteriorate since January 2025. Muižnieks criticized the Belarusian government for its use of ‘highly problematic’ legislation that criminalizes criticism of the president and other officials, leading to excessive detention of political opponents, journalists, and activists. The rapporteur noted that the voices of those imprisoned—such as Tsikhanouski and others—carry significant weight in the global conversation about the human rights crisis in Belarus. He described the treatment of prisoners as an ongoing violation of human rights and called for the international community to take stronger measures to protect those still held in custody.
Following the release of Tsikhanouski, the U.S. government’s role in facilitating his freedom has been highlighted by advocates and officials alike. UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer praised the Trump administration’s efforts, noting that Tsikhanouski’s address at the U.N. Human Rights Council was ‘a direct challenge to the regimes that continue to silence their critics.’ Neuer emphasized that Tsikhanouski, who had been tortured for years, now serves as a symbol of resistance against the Lukashenko regime. Meanwhile, the UN has directed media outlets to recordings of the hearing, particularly the rapporteur’s statements, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the need for international support. The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, observed on June 26, was marked by Tsikhanouskaya, who shared a poignant photo of her husband’s physical condition to highlight the suffering endured by prisoners in Belarus.