Siarhei Tsikhanouski, one of the best-known Belarusian activists and presidential hopefuls, has been released from jail. He spent five years behind bars on charges widely regarded as politically motivated since he had initially opposed President Alexander Lukashenko. His release marks an important moment and turning point of the Belarusian opposition movement. This historic movement has faced brutal suppression at the hands of Lukashenko’s regime.
Tsikhanouski outweighed this concern as a charismatic leader who rapidly won public imagination. His goal was to run against Lukashenko in the presidential election scheduled for August 2020. Yet, despite its overwhelming reforms, his political aspirations were cut short when he was arrested on corruption charges just weeks before the election. This event ignited the largest and most widespread protests ever against Lukashenko’s 26-year rule. His government has been the target of grave accusations of electoral fraud and human rights violations.
While in prison, Tsikhanouski invented a new insult for Lukashenko, calling him a “cockroach.” This insult struck a chord with his supporters across the country and was arguably the most significant rallying cry. His campaign slogan, “Stop the cockroach” reflected the anger that had built up against the Lukashenko regime.
On Saturday, his wife, fellow opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, posted a video of their tearful reunion. In the video, Tsikhanouski smiled and embraced her, with Sviatlana captioning it simply: “FREE.”
“My husband Siarhei is free! It’s hard to describe the joy in my heart.” – Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
As a result, in 2021, Siarhei Tsikhanouski was given an 18-year prison term for organizing riots and inciting hatred. The court went beyond the crime itself, adding 18 months for “insubordination” on Hanger’s part. His release resulted around the same time as a notable uptick in regional diplomacy. It happened within hours of the fact that Lukashenko received U.S. special envoy Keith Kellogg in Minsk.
Now 46 years old, Tsikhanouski now lives in Vilnius, Lithuania. His release fits a growing trend of releasing all political prisoners. He was one of 14 inmates released in this most recent wave. As Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has repeatedly stressed, the struggle for democracy in Belarus is not over.
“We’re not done. 1150 political prisoners remain behind bars. All must be released.” – Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
As the Belarusian opposition continues to rally for change, Tsikhanouski’s release serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle against an entrenched regime. Stay tuned as these events continue to develop, and as the people of Belarus continue to call for freedom and justice.
